I'm not gonna give up on you
by MGstars
Summary: Set up when Regina leaves the diner in the 401. S4 as we know never happened, the Ice Queen and Elsa were never in Storybrooke. I used the informations we learned in the last episodes, as you can guess by the characters involved. Warning for torture and violence later in the story.
1. Chapter 1

_So, I'm still not supposed to have time to write, but I just couldn't shake the idea out of my mind. The story is almost completely written, but I will update once or twice a week only, because I'm still changing things regularly. _

_I warn you, this is not going be an easy journey for our favorites characters, but I hope you'll stick with me until the end. _

_I mostly wrote from Henry, Robin, or Regina POV, but as you will see in this chapter, sometimes I use another character._

_Also, english is not my main language, so all mistakes are mine and I'm sorry about it. And I'm really sorry about the presentation, I can figure out how to insert more space between the lines. _

_Disclaimer : I own nothing but the idea. The characters and Storybrooke belong to A&amp;E. _

_With that, I hope you'll enjoy it !_

* * *

« She's a monster ! »

Regina restrains herself when she realizes she's about to lose her temper. She straightens her spine and turns on her heels, leaving the Charmings, her son, Hook, Roland, Robin and his _wife_ behind.

Why bother to justify anyway ? She is and will always be the Evil Queen. No matter how hard she tries, there will always be something or someone to remind her of that. She thought redemption would give her a chance to be happy, a chance at grace, a chance in love. She tried very hard to built a future and now it's all gone.

She doesn't know what Robin will decide, thinks she already knows, deep down, because really, who would be fool enough to choose her when they have someone else to turn to ? As she tries to persuade herself of that, there's still that sparckle of hope, instilled in her mind, that maybe, just maybe, someone could someday fight for her.

But right now, pain and hurt are surpassing that feeling, and hope is already forgotten, because until now, it has always failed her and never led to anything else than misery and distress.

So she walks, walks faster, hurries to put as much distance between her and them as she can. When she reaches her house, her hands are shaking and she almost lets her keys fall while she tries to open the door. Once she finally succeeds, she enters her house, and closes the door behind her.

Yes. Why bother indeed ?

* * *

The next day

Robin stares at the door for a few minutes. He knows what he has to do. Knows what must be done. It doesn't feel right, but he has no choice. He's married, and no matter how he feels toward Regina, staying with his wife is the honorable thing to do. It seems like a lifetime ago, but he made a vow to Marian and he's going to keep it. He thought about it all night, while he had his wife laying next to him in bed, while he was replaying the diner scene over and over in his mind. He's stuck in an impossible situation, and the only way to do the right thing is to do what he always did : follow his code.

He takes a deep breath, raises his hand and knocks. Once. And waits.

Waits.

Waits.

He knocks again, louder, ends up calling her name.

When no one answers, he frowns. It's the middle of the day, Regina should be at her office.

He turns on his heels to leave, but freezes, goes back to the door, tries to open it. He's surprised when the door swings open easily. It wasn't locked, he realizes. Weird ! Regina is usually pretty cautious about those things. Slowly, he steps inside, carefully, and looks around.

It's empty. He hoped she'd be here, but she's not. He thinks maybe she fled, puffing herself someplace else when she heard him get in. But when he looks more closely, there's no trace of her belongings, and there is no way she had time to clean the place from her stuff before he got in. The desk is perfectly in order, there's no coat on her chair, no book or paper anywhere. No sign of life. No sign of her.

His eyes wander in the room, land on the couch, the fireplace, the coffee table. He thinks of yesterday, of their picnic, of their confessions. He'd never imagined that the very day he opened to Regina about Marian's death, he would actually hold her against him. He'd never imagined his life would fall apart in one second. He'd never imagined he would be torned between two women, and forced to make a choice.

He shakes the memory away, unshed tears in his eyes, and turns to leave. The whole place smells like her, he realizes. It _feels_ like her. And he misses her so much already he wonders how he'll be able to look at her in the eyes and breaks the heart she so willingly gave him.

He sighs, feels a surge of guilt hit him about his intrusion, and heads toward the exit, closing the door behind him.

He decides to try her home. If she's not at her office, maybe she'll be there.

He looks at the mansion in front of him, and his breath stay caught up in his throat. He can do this. He has to do this. He has to give her up even though she doesn't deserve it. He has to stay true to his vows to Marian. So he steps forward, knocks once, twice, uses the ringbell, calls for her again. He tries to spy something through the windows, a frame, a shadow, something that will tell him she's inside and just hiding from him. But there's nothing.

He tries her vault too. He's never been there before, so he moves carefully, makes sure not to touch anything. But she's not there too.

She's hiding, he thinks. Hiding from him. But he has to tell her. So he'll try again. He'll give her a few days. A week, he decides.

In a week, he'll come back.

Defeated, but somehow relieved because he didn't have to confront her, not yet at least, he walks back to the camp, to Roland, to Marian. He walks back to his family, head down, because they're his life now but he has this strange feeling that something is out of place.

* * *

Emma turns to her son, frowning as she sees him filling a basket with food and DVD. She walks closer to him, enumerating « Okay, chocolate, DVD's, ice-cream... » she pauses and raises an eyebrow as he looks up at her and something she didn't see before enters her sight « Red wine ? That's one heck of a late-night snack, kid. »

« It's for my mom » he answers right away and she forces herself not to smile, touched by the gesture.

« I don't drink, and sheriff. » she recalls, a hand clasping his shoulder.

« My other mom. »

_Oh _!

« I googled 'how to get over a break-up'. It didn't talk about your boyfriend's wife time-travelling back from the past but, close enough ? » he asks, the hope in his voice contrasting with the sadness in his brown eyes.

Emma feels pride warm her heart at the idea that his son cares enough to take care of his parents, even in moments when he shouldn't, and about situations he somehow is too young to fully understand.

But guilt washes over her too, because she's the reason he's doing that. She's the cause of Regina's pain. She hurt someone and though she knows she obviously couldn't let an innocent woman die, she's responsible for causing more damage than she wanted to avoid when she rescued Marian.

« That's really sweet » Emma says, leaning forward to squeeze Henry's shoulder. « Do you want me to drive you there ? »

« You don't mind ? »

« No, of course not ! Come on, grab your coat ! »

She helps him hold the heavy basket, tells her parents she won't be long, and follows her son through the door.

She parks in front of Regina's mansion, lets Henry step out of the car.

« Thanks, mom. I'll call you tomorrow morning. »

« Okay. Take a good care of her, I'm sure she'll appreciate what you're doing. »

She waves Henry a goodbye, and starts her car. That's when she notices it. She looks around, but still, it's not here. She turns to Henry, and sees he's still at the door, knocking and calling again and again. She turns off the car, walks out of it and enters the yard.

« Hey kid ! » she calls and Henry turns to face her.

« She's not answering. »

« Her car is not here. Maybe she's not home. » she shrugs.

« Maybe. But can I call her ? I want to know if she's okay. »

« Yeah, sure. »

Emma shoves her phone out of her pocket, and hands it to Henry. He dials the number, and waits.

Voicemail.

He tries again. Same result. He lets her a message, tells her to call him back, and hangs up, clearly disappointed, and maybe a bit worried.

Emma waves an arm around his shoulder, and leads him back to the car.

« She probably needs to be alone for a while. Give her some time, she'll come around. »

* * *

_Okay so I'm not really thrilled with this chapter, but it was necessary to start with. The action will come soon. _

_Hope you liked it. Reviews are much appreciated. _


	2. Chapter 2

Three days, and still no answer. She hasn't call back, hasn't left a message. No one has seen her since that fateful night when Marian came back. Henry starts to worry, really worry. He paces in his grandparents living-room, leaving another message on her voicemail, half-angry, half-anxious.

He tried every place she could have been.

He checked her vault, called the hospital, went back to their house four time to face a closed door each time, stayed at her office for hours -he was surprised to find the door unlocked and the set of key on the desk, but it didn't really mean anything, right ?-, even Grannys -he wasn't convinced when his mother told him maybe Regina had rent a room there in secret but he tried anyway-.

Still nothing.

Mary-Margaret tells him the same thing Emma does. Regina needs time. She needs to regroup, to recover from what happened, and she's very good at covering her tracks -she mentions that time when they all thought she killed Archie and no one was able to find her for days-. She'll call him sooner than he thinks.

But he's not convinced. Something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong. His mother wouldn't let him clueless about where she is. She wouldn't let him worry sick about her. So he calls Emma, tells her to meet him at Regina's mansion. He wants to get inside this time. He wants to make sure she's not half-dead somewhere in the house because this thought is coming back to him more and more frequently and he has to know.

So here they are, half an hour later. Henry, Emma, Mary-Margaret, Charming and Hook.

Emma manages to open the door, and they walk inside. It's dark, and cold, like no one has been there for a while. They split up, and Henry runs toward the stairs, storms into her bedchamber, and stops, takes a look around.

It's empty.

Like no one has been here recently.

Aside from the furniture, there is nothing to indicate his mother is here. Her favorite book is not on the nightstand next to her bed. Her robe is not hanging behind the door. Her favorite scarf is not on the armchair next the fireplace. The flowers on the shelf next the window are long dead. It's like an hotel bedroom, like if no one is living here.

He walks to the closet, opens it, and frowns. None of her clothes are here.

He opens another one. Same result.

The dresser.

The bathroom.

The nightstand.

He's turning everything upside down and the noise he's making alarms his family. Charming is the first one to get there. He notices the reason of Henry's behavior, and walks to his grandson, puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him before he tosses an empty drawer on the floor angrily.

« Why isn't it any of her stuff here ? » he cries out, turning to his grandfather.

« Henry ! » Mary-Margaret's soft voice calls.

He turns to her. She's next to the bed, and holds a piece of paper in her hand. A letter, he realizes. He was so obsessed to find a proof of his mother's presence he didn't even notice. She's reading it, and when he walks to her and she holds it to him, he sees compassion and sadness in her eyes.

His brow furrows in question, anxiety settling in his belly as he takes the letter, reads it, and feels like his world is falling apart.

_Henry, _

_I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. _

_After what happened at the diner, after Marian's return, I just realized she was right. I am a monster. No matter how hard I try, I will never be worthy of you or anyone else. I shouldn't have hoped for a happy ending, it was nothing but a sweet dream. _

_As you may have noticed, I took my belongings with me, and left my office's keys on the desk. By the time you get that letter, I'll be gone. I will cross the town line and disappear from everyone's life, to start a new one, where no one knows me or what I've done. Things are better this way. You deserve so much better than me. _

_I love you, Henry. _

_Mom_

By the time he's done reading, he's sitting on the edge of the bed, in shock.

This can't be right. He checked on her just twenty-four hours after Marian's return. She couldn't take this life-changing decision in one night. She wouldn't stay deaf to his call when he knocked on the door and asked her to let him in. She wouldn't give up so easily. And more importantly, his mother would never leave without a goodbye. She would never leave him, period.

He creases the paper in a ball he throws across the bedroom, and rushes outside, avoiding Emma's hand trying to stop him when he walks past her and Hook.

He feels tears in his eyes, hot, heavy tears, that threaten to fall at any time.

He does not believe it.

Can't believe it.

It may have been her handwriting, but it wasn't her words. She changed ! She truly, deeply, really changed ! She was starting to believe in herself. She defeated her sister with light magic, things were better between them, she'd found love again. She was happy. She wouldn't run away from all that. She wouldn't be so pessimistic about her life. Not now. Not anymore. Not when she's come that far.

He knows his mother is still in town, somewhere, hiding. Maybe she's in danger, he thinks. But they vainquished Zelena, the portal is closed, there is no more threat anymore.

And then it hits him.

Marian.

And Robin.

He hears his mother's and grandfather's voice calling him from the house, but he ignores them, walks faster, runs, sprints toward the forest. It's a long run, almost three miles, but he doesn't care. His lungs are burning, his breath is stuck in his throat, but he doesn't stop, barely notices the car that almost run into him as he crosses the road without looking. He runs, and runs again, until he sees it.

The camp.

He slows down his pace, walking again, catching his breath as he gets closer.

He looks around him, and spots Roland not far from him. And then... _Bingo _!

He walks a determined pace toward Robin, and stops just next to him. The man's eyes catch his presence, and he gives him a small smile, because he must have noticed Henry's upset face and knows this is not a courtesy visit.

« What have you done to my mom ? » Henry asks harshly, not even bothering with a hello.

Robin is taken aback, frowns in surprise. « Nothing. » he simply answers.

« She wrote a letter saying she's left town. But she didn't say goodbye to me or anyone else, and there's no way she would just walk away from me anyway. So I'll ask again : What did you do to her ? »

The boy almost screams, doesn't even realize the panick in Robin's eyes.

« She left ? Henry I... I didn't know. Why did she... »

« Stop lying ! » Henry screams, for real this time, brows furrowed with anger, hands clenched into fists. « She was perfectly fine until three days ago. And then she left the diner and no one has seen her since. The only explanation is that you did or said something to her. I know my mom. She wouldn't give up so easily, and especially, she wouldn't leave me beh... »

« Henry, I haven't seen her since that night at the diner. » Robin cuts.

Henry's eyes widen « What ? »

« I tried to talk to her the next day but I couldn't find her. » The boy frowns, staring at the ground, scratches his scalp while thinking deeply.

« So... If you haven't talk to her and no one has seen her, where is she ? »

Robin sighs, the heart heavy from what he's about to say, about to admit. « Maybe... Maybe she did left town. » he tries warily but Henry's head snaps back at him and the hard look is there again.

« She would never do that to me. Something must have happened to her. »

« Something happened to who ? » comes a small voice.

Both men turns to the person walking slowly toward them. Marian settles next to Robin, clutches to his arm and Henry can't help but look elsewhere and wince at the sight of it. Robin notices his discomfort, but doesn't move. The boy will have to get use to it, he thinks sadly.

« Regina left town. » Robin explains calmy.

« Oh. » she simply says. Then « That's a good news. »

The look Henry gives Marian remembers Robin of those Evil Queen's looks Regina used against her sister -or even him, sometimes- in the Enchanted Forest. Right now, he's glad the boy doesn't have magic, for he surely would have turned his wife into ashes in an instant.

« Do not ever speak like that of my mother ! » Henry threatens, stepping forward and Robin has to raise an arm to stop him from coming closer. « You don't know her ! Everything was perfectly fine until you showed up and insulted her. You shouldn't be here. You're supposed to be dead ! » he spits.

« _Henry_ ! »

The kid freezes at his mother's voice. He turns slowly to find Emma, Charming and Hook running toward him, breathless.

« What's happening here ? » Charming asks.

No one answer, and Robin knows pretty well repeating the current conversation wouldn't do good to anyone.

« Henry was asking if we saw Regina the last few days. » he says, clearing his throat. He notices how the boy's feature relax an inch, and his wife's hold on him looses.

« Did you ? » Emma asks.

« I'm afraid I don't. I tried to talk to her but I was never able to find her. »

Emma walks toward Henry, grabs his shoulder but he jerks her back, and heads stubbornly back from where he came without saying a word.

He hears his grandfather thanks Robin and his wife, and then there's footsteps catching up with him, and a hand closes around his arm but this time Emma doesn't let go and turns him around to face her, bending slightly to be at eye-level with him.

« What was that ? » she scowls.

« Nothing. » and he tries to walk away but she doesn't let him.

« Henry, what was that ? » she asks louder this time. « And don't tell me nothing because something was definitely happening there ! »

Henry stops fighting, looks down, then up at his mother and catches his grandfather and Killian's frames behind her, silently looking at them. « She said it was a good think my mom left. »

Emma's features soften, and she brings him to her chest. This time, he doesn't push her away.

« Henry, I'm sorry. But try to understand Marian. She never met your mother, only the Evil Queen. I rescued her from her dungeon four days ago. She doesn't know about all the good Regina did, about the person she's become. » She recedes to look at him in the eyes, and sees the tears he won't let fall down. « I promise you, Henry. If Regina is anywhere outside Storybrooke, I will find her. »

* * *

_So, what do you think ? Has Regina really left town ? Is Henry right to think maybe she's still in Storybrooke ? Will Emma find her ? _


	3. Chapter 3

It's been a month. A month, and nothing.

His mom keeps telling him she hasn't given up, but he knows she's not believing anymore. He heard her one night with Killian and his grandparents, when they thought he was asleep.

Two days before

« Are you sure you searched everywhere, Emma ? » Mary-Margaret says, a bit worried.

« Mom... » Emma sighs. « I know my job. If I haven't found her yet, then I won't. There's no record of her. Anywhere. The few women I heard about who matched the description were not Regina. She doesn't want to be found. I'll keep looking, but I'll just have to tell that to Henry at some point. »

« What if Henry was right ? »

Three pair of eyes turn to look at the brunette in surprise.

« What if she's still in Storybrooke ? »

« You mean, she would lead us to a wild goose chase while she's planning something behind our back ? »

Mary-Margaret gives her husband a cold glare. « After everything she did for us, you still don't believe in her, do you ? You still see her as evil ? » It's barely a question, more a statement, and her husband sighs loudly, bowing his head guiltily.

« Well, I refuse to believe she would turn back to being evil again. » she resumes firmly, looking at her daughter. « But what if something did happen to her ? She could be in danger right now, and we're not even looking for her. »

« Mary-Margaret... » David says warily, knowing very well he's walking on eggshells right now. « Who could possibly have hurt Regina ? There's no new villain in town, Gold just came back from his honeymoon with Belle, Zelena is dead. And I really don't see someone being brave enough to even confront Regina. Half the town is still afraid of her. »

« And with what happened with Robin Hood, it seems logical that she needs some space. That's what she always did when she was in pain. » Hook points. « Maybe this time she decided leaving town would end her misery once and for all. »

« Maybe » she concedes « but I still find hard to believe she left Henry behind, or that she would leave permanently. »

« I understand mom, but why would she wrote a letter for Henry if she didn't plan to leave ? »

Mary-Margaret cocks her head, gives her that point.

« Don't worry, I'm sure she's fine. And I won't stop looking for her, though I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to hear anything from us. » concludes Emma.

Back to the present

Emma is wrong. She can't find Regina outside Storybrooke because she isn't there. She's still in town, he just knows it. Like a voice in his head whispering, telling him she needs him, telling him he's the only one still believing in her and he must not let her down. All he has to do is to find her. If no one cares for her, he will. It's not about trying to be a hero and believing in a storybook this time. It's deeper than that. Like a bound between them, like she's calling him and praying to be found.

For a month, he's been able to pretend he was fine, kept the mask on, played with Neal, went to school, had a normal life. But pretending is becoming harder and harder everyday, and he can't just keep ignoring that gut feeling telling him he needs to do something. _Now _!

For the last two days, he's been thinking about how exactly he could get some help, until suddenly an idea strikes him. It's a bet, but it might lead somewhere. And anyway, he doesn't really have a lot of options here. So at the first occasion, he walks to Grannys, and as soon as he spots the young woman, walks to Ruby. She's smiling at him, cocks her head to the side in question.

« Can I do something for you, Henry ? »

« Actually, yes. I need your help. Or more exactly, your werewolf abilities. »

She frowns.

« Why do you need the werewolf ? »

Henry takes a deep sigh, and looks at her right in the eyes « We have to find my mom. »

* * *

It's been a month, and his life has never been more awfull.

As much as he remembered Marian, she's always been the kind, gentle, soft lover and mother type.

But that woman... Well, he can't really put his finger on it, but something is definitely wrong.

Her tone is harscher than he remembers. Her kisses hungrier. Her temper shorter. She scowled Roland so hardly once she made the little boy cry, and seemed untouched by it.

And she's snicking out. Disappearing in the middle of the night, sometimes during the day. And he found her more than once sitting alone in a corner and focusing on something he never really managed to see.

She always comes up with an explanation, but he knows something is definitely not right here.

First, he thought it was because he missed Regina. The pain of knowing she'd left town was worse than he'd imagined. He thought breaking up with her would crush him, but the idea of never seeing her, ever again... Well... It's another level of heart-break he hoped he would never experienced again.

He's trying to play with Roland, tries to focus on the game, but his heart is not there. So he just sits, watches his son playing alone in front of him. He spots Marian's frame walking slowly to them, a smile on her lips. She lays her hand on his shoulder, leans forward to kiss his cheek, and sits next to him.

« Hey ! » she whispers.

« Hey. Where were you ? »

« I went for a walk in town. I'm still trying to get use to all that. » she chuckles, waving her hand in front of her. »

As everyday for the last week, he nods, but doesn't believe her. But he plays along and this time, he's determined to find out what she's hiding.

He waits until Roland is tucked in, until she thinks he's asleep next to her. When she raises and walks out of the tent, he follows her. Carefully, silently, he observes her walking straight toward the edge of the forest. They walk for maybe fifteen minutes, until he recognizes the place.

Zelena's farmhouse.

He stops behind a tree, and watches as his wife heads for the storm cellar. She makes sure no one is around so he hides, and holds his breath until he hears a metallic sound. Then, his head pops out of his hiding spot.

He sees her walks inside, and closes the heavy door behind her.

And then he waits.

He waits for what seems like hours. During that time, there's nothing but silence. When he hears the door opening again, he steps back, ready to sprint toward the camp so she doesn't notice his absence in the tent. The minute he sees her step out and starting to close the door, he heads back to the camp. He's seen enough for now.

What he doesn't see, is the wave of magic coming from his wife's hand and locking the door.

* * *

A week later

He asked Belle to spend some time with Marian, chaperon her for girls activities, and all those things the young woman is more acquainted with than him.

He needs time.

Since the night he followed her, when she wasn't at the farmhouse, Marian has barely left him alone. She doesn't know, he thinks, he hopes. Because she's been this way since her return. Always stuck by his side when she wasn't snicking out, always holding his hand, clutching to his arm, leaning against his chest. He was somehow content at first, but now he finds it oppressive, overwhelming. He grits his teeth each time, tries not to show he's doubting her.

But not knowing what's going on and keeping up this sick little game is driving him mad, and he needs to know what's happening with his wife. Why is she so different ? What is it she's hiding from him ?

So as soon as she's turned to the corner with Belle, he sprints toward the forest, through the forest, and emerges at the same spot he's been hiding last time, breathless. Except he's not alone.

He sees Henry and that waitress from Grannys, Ruby, he remembers, coming toward him. The boy follows the young woman who's walking quickly, sniffing in the air, frowning and stopping from time to time to lead their path.

He walks forward, calls them at the same moment Ruby notices him.

« What are you doing here ? » Henry asks. The boy is mefiant, tensed, suspicious, but Robin is in no mood to bow in front of him right now.

« I could ask you the same question. »

« We're looking for my mom. I know she's still in Storybrooke. »

Robin frowns, and he tilts his head toward Ruby, who just shrugs.

« Werewolf here ! I'm trying to follow her smell, but with nothing of hers, I'm not as effective as I could be. »

« It led you here ? »

« Well, we tried a few places where she could be hiding. Henry thought since no one is likely to come around here, since... Zelena, you know, maybe Regina could be here. I don't know if what I smell is her, but there's something definitely weird. I can't really tell what. »

« What about you ? » Henry cuts.

« I... » Robin pauses, thinks. Is it really necessary to inform the boy of his marital issues ? « I saw Marian heading over here one night. » he confesses, tilting his chin toward the storm shelter. « She's disappearing a lot, and at some point I just decided to follow her. »

« Wait ! » Henry's brow furrows in concentration, a finger to his chin as he thinks deeply. « If Marian comes here regurlarly, and my mom is missing since she came back, and Ruby smells something weird... »

He doesn't finish his sentence, the three pair of eyes widening in realization before they run toward the metallic door. As Robin tries to open it, he's pushed back by a strong force and lands a few meters away.

« Magic. » breathes Ruby. « We need Emma, I call her. »

« Magic ? » Robin whispers, stunned. How is that possible ?

As Ruby's taking a few step to warn the blonde woman and ask her to join them, Robin meets Henry's panicked gaze. He walks to the boy, a shaking hand clapping his shoulder. It's meant to be reassuring, but he's not sure to be in a better state of mind than the twelve years-old right now. He doesn't need to speak. None of them does. Right now, they both know the same thing. A person they deeply love has been missing for 5 weeks now, and maybe, just maybe, they're about to find her.

« She's on her way. » Ruby announces when she joins them.

And indeed, less then fifteen minutes later, Emma steps out of the sheriff's car with David on her heels. Henry just shows her the door, tells her it propulsed Robin in the air when he tried to open it.

The blonde woman holds her hands in front of her, focuses all her energy, closes her eyes, and as a ray of light magic emerges from them, it collides with the lock and struggles for a few seconds before making him explode in pieces.

They don't move. Don't speak. They don't know what they'll find inside, _who_ they will find.

Henry moves first. He takes a few resolute steps to reach the door, and with his mother help, they swing it open.

* * *

_So, we made some progress in this chapter. What do you think they'll find in the storm cellar ? _

_For those who wonder, I chose Ruby to help Henry because of her abilities, of course (though as she says, without Regina's smell to follow, it's kind of complicated), but also because she can protect him if needed, and I kind of miss her in the show. She won't be a big part of this story, but I thought it was nice to see her again. _

_And yes, Charming, Emma and Hook clearly don't believe in Regina's goodness but that's how I felt it for a while. For all S3 until the finale, and even in the beginning of S4, they were still throwing her past to her face despite everything she did and kept doing for them. I mean, even in 412 Hook keeps calling her Evil... And we saw how Regina didn't appreciate it. _

_As for Mary-Margaret, I couldn't pass her endless optimism and hope that Regina is fighting hard against the darkness. For me, she's the only person aside from Henry that has faith in her (And Robin too in the show, but he doesn't here). She may still sometimes see her as the woman who tried to ruin her life, but the two of them clearly grew closer in S3B, and I love their new relationship too much to simply let her believe Regina gave up. And she's the only one who saw her raising Henry, and adding the missing year to that, she's very well aware of how much Regina loves her son. _

_The next chapter will be entirely focused on Regina. We will go back in time the night of the diner to find out why she suddenly disappeared from everyone's life. So you'll have to wait to know what our little team here will find behind the doors._

_Thanks for the reviews ! It's always nice to know what you think, and it's a good motivation to continue :-)_

_And I'm just thinking maybe posting another chapter right after a new episode is not a very good idea, but only one episode to go ! Can't wait to see what they cooked up for us in the finale this time, don't you ?_


	4. Chapter 4

5 weeks earlier, the night of Marian's return

Regina closes the file she's been so desperately trying to read for the last half an hour. Lifting her head up, she glances at the clock and sighs. Ten past midnight.

She's not particularly enclined to go to bed, but she's not making any progress with the town budget, unable to focus on the matter. She wants to keep herself busy, wants to stop thinking, but her mind is driving her there anyway and she's barely read more than a page for the time she's being trying to work on mayoral issues.

She figures she'll be most effective after a few hours resting, even if it means just lying in her bed staring at the ceiling. Truth be told, she's exhausted. The scene at the diner has drained all her energy. Marian's return has taken back all her hopes at a happy ending. She knows Robin is lost to her now that he has his wife back. She just has to accept it, no matter how much it hurts.

She kills the light in the kitchen, then the living-room, is about to head for the stairs to change and slip under the covers for a night she imagines will be sleepless, when something in the corner on her eye catches her attention.

She lights a fireball in her hand, asking in a warning tone « Show yourself ! »

She gasps when the small frame steps out of the shadows and she recognizes Marian's body. She recovers quickly, closes her fist over the fireball, lets her arm fall along her side, not bothering to hide her exasperation at seeing her here.

« How the hell did you get inside ? »

Marian doesn't speak, just smirks, and then walks to her, slowly, as a hunter about to takes down his prey.

Regina stays where she is, doesn't want to give the woman the satisfaction to bow in front of her. But before she has time to formulate a coherent thought, she finds herself flying in the air, her head colliding strongly against the wall, and everything goes black.

* * *

She wakes up in obscurity, her body so numb she can barely feel it. She blinks a few times, but she can't see anything. Her head hurts, badly and she feels dizzy and fuzzy. Her heart is hamming heavily in her chest, anxiety beginning to settle in her mind and body. She takes a deep breath, comes back to her senses, and tries to assess the situation with a cold head. Now is not the time to start panicking.

She opens her hand to form a fireball and get some light, but nothing happens. She doesn't feel the magic rushing out of her, she doesn't even feel it inside her. But she tries again. And again. After different spells, even the simpliest ones, she gives up. Her magic is definitely not working.

_Old way then ! No magic, only you, only what you can feel_, she tells herself.

She has a quick flash of a similar situation, the only other moment of her life when someone was able to remove her magic and she was completely powerless, and a surge of fear starts to grow again in her belly, images of pain and torture coming back at her in waves.

But she shakes the thought away, tells herself to concentrate on the present. She remembers Rumpelstiltskin's lessons, when he used to blindfold her and she had to find him just with what she was feeling inside and around her. So she does that, focuses to remember every sound, every sensation she experienced since she awoke. She turns her attention to the surroundings she still cannot see, but uses her hands, body and others senses to picture where she is.

As she'd moved her hand to form a fireball, she noticed how heavy her wrist was, and heard a clic with every movement she made. She brings her left hand to her right wrist, and it lands on a cold metallic handcuff. There's a chain clasped around her wrist. Her hands blinkly grope the wall, then the ground, finally find the clamp. She pulls as much as she can, but its firmly anchored. She frowns, moves to stand up and take a step forward to check the length of it, but is forced back and down on her knees almost immediately. That's when she feels the same unpleasant sensation around her left foot too. She's trapped.

She notices her hands are wet, and remembers them being immersed in water while she was looking for the clamp. She realizes it then, as she starts feeling sensations gradually coming back in her body. It's not just her hands. It's her ! Her legs, her body. She's laying on a cold stone floor, in a puddle of icy water. She tries to move out of it, but her tentative is aborted when the chains seem to tighten their grip on her and forbid her to go away.

She feels droplet on her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, realizes the atmosphere is thick with condensation, and as a reflex licks her lips and closes her eyes when her dry mouth welcomes the wonderful feeling of being hydrated, no matter how minimal the relief is.

She opens her eyes and scans her surroundings again. No light. Anywhere ! All darkness, everywhere. _How ironic ! _she thinks. She's not sure, but she guesses she may be underground.

She hears nothing. The silence is so deep it almost scares her.

She sits cross-legged to process the informations she collected and figure out how she ended up here

She tries to remember what happened at her house but all she can see is a silhouette in front of her and then nothing but the pain and darkness.

She doesn't know how much time she spends here, staring blankly ahead of her, but it feels like a lifetime of endless loneliness and darkness. Well, a pretty good image of what her life had been, actually.

She's hungry. And thirsty. Can't bring herself to drink the water on the ground, she's not that desperate. But the way her stomach twists angrily, she guesses she's missed more than just one meal.

She's cold. Her clothes are soaked from the humidity around her and the puddle she's stuck into. She shivers violently, leans against the wall nearby, jerks forward at how icy it is, but leans back anyway, folds her knees against her chest and hugs herself to try to stay warm, failing miserably. She drops her head on her knees and tries to think. She has to find a way to get out of there. But how ? Her magic is not working, and the chains currently entraving her movement are too strong and thick to be broken by her bare hands. They're even forbidding her to stand up anyway.

She must have fallen asleep at some point, because when she opens her eyes again, she's lying on the ground, her clothes entirely drenched now, her hair damp, the cheek resting on the floor so cold she barely feels it.

She weakly pushes on her hands to sit and wipes her face, but both her hands and arms are wet now, so it's pointless.

She still feels the hunger, but it's not as overwhelming as it was before. Still, it hurts, makes her wince and bring a palm to her belly to massage it slowly.

And then she freezes.

She hears footsteps, above her head, and then a clasp. Finally, there's light. Blinding light. She closes her eyes, brings a hand to cover them and protect herself from the sudden assault.

Footsteps again. Closer this time.

An almost deafening metalling sound precede the return of the darkness. She hears a clic, immediately followed by another light, less blinding this time, who filters through her fingers.

She forces herself to open her eyes, blinks, once, twice, and then just stares. For she recognizes very well the person in front of her, even if she's only seen her briefly.

« Well well well... What do we have here ? »

Marian bends toward her, grabs her chin and her fingers dig into Regina's skin. She tries to recedes, but finds herself completely paralysed, her body refusing to answer her command, frozen, like...

Her hearts beats faster when she remembers where and when she felt this way before.

But it can't be.

« Come on, Regina ! Where's you usual sass ? Don't tell me you've already gone soft ! I thought it would be a little bit harder for me to break you. »

As Marian takes a step back, Regina feels free to move again. She passes her hand where the woman's fingers held her tight and tries to soothe the pain.

« What do you want ? » is the only thing that comes out of her mouth. Her voice is hoarse, but strong, and she holds her chin high without once breaking eye-contact.

« What do I want ? » scoffs Marian, pacing slowly in front of her. « Oh, there is so many things I want. Seeing you suffer is actually on top of my list. Since you and your little friends ruined my plans of a happy ending, I had to come up with another idea. »

Regina's eyes widen when she realizes she was right. It can't be. But somehow, it is.

« Cut the crap ! I have no idea how it is possible, but I'm fairly certain you are not Marian. »

The woman walks abruptly to her and bends forward, eyes shining with madness.

« And pray tell me, _who_ am I ? » she says with a wicked grin.

Regina takes a deep breath, staring at the other woman, articulating every syllabe with as much aversion as she can.

« Zelena. »

A throaty laugh echoes in the room as Marian leans back. She gives her a pointed look, smirking all the way. A hand reaches for her cleavage where she catches a little pendant. A green light fills it as her features change to reveal her real appearance.

Regina doesn't move an inch. Does not even raise an eyebrow. She just... stares.

How is that possible ? She saw her sister die on that video-tape. She saw her body break like porcelain into million of pieces.

But then she thinks. What if it was her plan ? Since she'd been caught, her only way to get away with her crazy idea of destroying her sister's life would have been to fake her death and find a way to open up the portal. And at some point, to play Emma and Killian and making them believe she was Robin's dead wife. As crazy as it is, Regina must admit it's brilliant. What better way to destroy her sister's happiness than making her new love believe his wife was back ?

« Robin ! What did you do to him ? »

She jerks forward as she speaks but the chains force her back, stopping her movement and digging into her skin, making her wince with the pain cursing through her arm.

« Oh, I'm nothing but the lovely little wife he spent so much time mourning. » Zelena answers innocently. « Don't worry, he's safe ! » she then spits, rolling her eyes with annoyance. « At least for now. »

« What do you mean ? » Regina can't help the anxiety to pierce in her voice, and she knows Zelena is delecting of her fear to see him get harmed. But right now she doesn't care about how weak and vulnerable she sounds. She just wants to know Robin and Roland are safe. She'll do everything to make sure they won't be harmed.

« As long as he's the perfect husband -and believe me, for now he hasn't failed any of his vows- » she smirks with a wink « he and his little brat won't have to face anyone else than sweet sweet boring Marian. »

Regina feels sick. She understood clearly the implication of her sister's words, and a pang of hurt squeezes her chest so tightly she's afraid she might not start to breathe again. A tear leaves her eyes but her features harden « I'm going to make you pay for that. »

« And how exactly do you intend to do that, sis' ? You see, I blocked your magic. Those chains are not just to keep you here. It's also taking away your powers. And I have no intention of letting you out of here. But I'm gonna be nice, and give you something to entertain yourself while I'm enjoying your boyfriend. Or should I say my husband ? »

She doesn't wait for an answer, waves her hand and a mirror appears on the wall facing Regina. It's just a mirror first, but then the reflection starts to change and she can see clearly the faces of Robin and Roland, happily playing in the forest. Her heart squeezes at the sight and another tear rolls down her cheek. She wants to move closer but remembers at the last minute she can't.

« I want you to see how happy everyone is without you, Regina. It's only been two days, and they're already back to living their lifes like you never even existed »

The sight morphs into Henry's frame, at the Charming's loft. She sees him talking with Snow, cuddling little Neal, shoving ice-cream in his mouth, a smile on his face.

« They're far better off without you, Regina. »

« But they'll wonder where I am. » the brunette says, voice filled with hope.

« You see, that's where you're wrong. » Zelena pauses, enjoys the questionning look on her sister's face. « After I took care of you that night, I went back to your house to remove every of your things including your car, and hid them somewhere safe. I left a note, explaining how you came to realize you will always be a villain, that their lifes will be happier without you and consequently you decided to leave town. I even copied your handwriting, thanks to documents I found in your office. » She pauses again, and Regina knows Zelena is delighted with the situation. « See ? My plan is perfect. » her sister leaps, eyes wide with excitment.

« They'll never buy it. » Regina argues.

« Oh yes, they will ! Because no matter how much you fooled yourself into believing you've changed, they all still see you as this pathetic Queen that let her heartbreak turn her into a monster. »

Regina can't help the despair from washing over her. She fights it, don't let it last, but she knows there's a part of truth in Zelena's words. And by so, there's also a chance her plan will actually work.

Zelena turns to leave, proud, feeding her good mood with the pain and hurt she reads over her sister's face. She takes back Marian's appearances just before she climbs the stairs, and stops.

« Oh, I almost forgot. » she turns to her sister and waves her hand. A small bottle of water and a loaf of bread appear in front of the brunette. « You should try to save it as long as you can. I have no idea when your dear Robin will let his wife away from him again. » She winks, shrugs with excitment, turns on her heels and adding while climbing the stairs, not bothering to look back at her « This place is sealed with magic, so you can try to scream and call if you want, but no one will hear you. ». And then she's closing the heavy metallic door behind her, and Regina is back to darkness and loneliness.

Regina is still in shock, staring at the « food » her sister had the amability to give her, then at the mirror that she can't quite see anymore now that there's no light and it's off.

She blindly grabs the bread, thinks twice before bringing a piece to her mouth, then just do it. Her sister has better plans than simply poison her. It's thick, and overcooked, and wet from the water it landed into, but she's so hungry at this moment she doesn't care. She tries to stop herself from eating all of it, chew as slowly as possible, saves as much water as she can too, before leaning back against the wall.

It's cold, and she recedes a bit but she's too worned to stay straight by herself so she leans against it again, fighting every cell in her body that wants to escape to unpleasable sensation.

She doesn't know how much time she stays like that, but at some point, sleep finally takes her again.

* * *

_Now, you know what happened that fateful night. Don't worry, I'll give you more details in the next chapters._

_For the one to come though, I'll be focusing entirely on the present. It'll start exactly where we left Henry, Robin, Emma, Charming and Ruby, and we'll find out what it is they discover in the storm cellar (I think you may have an idea of who, but don't forget 5 weeks have passed, so...)_

_Thanks again for the reviews and follows, it's very important to me._

_SVUgrey-anatomy-lover : Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you think even though you're not one to do it. Feel free to do it again if you want to ;-)_

_pt159 : Hope you're not disappointed by how things are going here. But your comment gave me an idea about how to use a thought I had but gave up a few months ago. So maybe I'll use it in another fic later, if you don't mind ;-)_

_SamanthaFreita3 : You made me laugh with your comment XD You'll find out with the next update ;-)_

_kurotenshi-08 : I agree. Hook is clearly not one of my favorites, so he will mostly be just mentionned in here. But I think with what we know now about some characters's past, he's not the only one to be an hypocrite._

_JamieOUAT : Mmm... You're partially right..._

_Liudi-Flix : Thank !_

_Guests : Thank you very much, glad you like it !_


	5. Chapter 5

Robin is the first one to step inside the basement. Ruby is keeping Henry outside, while Emma and David follow him.

He spots her immediately. She's curled up into a ball in a corner of the room, her hair sticking and falling over her face as she tries to raise onto an elbow to face them.

He runs forward, calling her name frantically, kneeling in front of her and preventing her to fall when her strengths fail her. He pulls her close, allows her to rest against him, cups her cheeks in both his hands, removes her hair away from her face and gasps.

She's pale. Deadly pale. Her flesh is bruised, her lower lip swollen from a cut covered with dry blood. Her eyes are barely opened, and as soon as he gets a hold on her he feels her entire body relaxing against his, her body becoming limp and heavy at the same time. He brings her to his chest, and she's cold. So cold. Freezing. Trembling. And wet. She's laying into a puddle of filthy water, and soaked to the bones, shivering violently and coughing and wincing, whimpering as he holds her even tightly against him. He craddles her scalp, her back, her shoulders, wraps her into his own jacket, tries to warm her up, knows what he does is not enough, and he feels a sob get struck in his throat as he starts to imagine what she must have endure while he was playing house. A surge of guilt hits him, and he drops his head against hers, lips in her hair, murmuring _I'm sorry_ again and again and again even though she's unconcious now.

Emma and David are by his side, and they're staring at the chains keeping Regina's prisoner. He hadn't even noticed it, was too overwhelmed by his fear and horror to realize anything else.

« I can't open it. » David says, forcing to open the one holding Regina's ankle.

« Let me try. »

Emma holds her hand in front of her, closes her eyes, focuses, and a light ray emerge to clasp to chains open.

The three of them gasps when they see the state of the skin where it was restrained a second before. It's bleeding slowly, but there's dry blood too. It's swollen, and the skin is ripped and red and there's a festering wound on her wrist where she must have tried to free herself by pulling too much on the chains.

« We need to bring her to the hospital. » Emma says in a hurry, getting up quickly.

David helps Robin to adjust Regina's numb body in his arms before following him outside.

* * *

The moment he glimpses the liveless body of his mother, Henry's face loses all its color. He jumps at Robin's side, grabs carefully his mother's hand, frowns when he feels the coldness emaning from her.

« Is she... » but he can't bring himself to say the words, feels tears prickling in his eyes, Ruby's warm hand squeezing his shoulder in comfort.

« No, kid. She's still with us. But we have to get her to the hospital quickly. » Emma says, stepping out of the cellar.

Henry doesn't let go of his mother's hand, catches up with Robin's fast pace to the car, and reluctantly breaks the contact when the man settles her on the back seat. Henry tries to get in the car, but Emma's hand stops him.

« Go with Ruby. I want you to stay with Mary-Margaret for now. »

« No ! I want to be with my mom. She needs me. »

« Henry, right now what your mother needs, is a doctor. It won't do you any good to stay for hours in a waiting room. I'll call you when she's awake. »

« I want to be there for her. I _have_ to be there for her. I'm not... » he insists but Emma cuts him firmly.

« Henry, stop ! You're not coming. Period. »

And with that and the angry gaze her son is throwing at her, she gets in the car and drives straight to the hospital.

* * *

Robin is sitting on a chair, next to her bed, holding her hand since the moment he was allowed in the room.

She's drowned under wires, linked to half a dozen machines, all biping regurlarly and the noise is driving him crazy but he knows it means she's still alive, and this technology will help her to come back to them.

He's exhausted. Not a physical exhaustion, but a mental one. He should have known. He should have known she would never leave without a goodbye. He should have known something was wrong, should have felt it.

He failed her. And the pain of this statement is killing him. His wrong choices and bad judgement have led to that. To her, unconscious on an hospital bed, with a chance of never waking up.

He doesn't deserve her. Does not deserve that woman who went through hell countless times, nearly drowned each time but always managed to come back, who redeemed herself and kept saving people lifes regardless of her own, who gave him her heart in every sense of the way and he failed to keep it safe every time.

This pang in his chest is not leaving him, not giving him a second of relief and somehow he's glad, because he deserves it. He should be the one lying there, not her.

_« We put her under an artificial coma. She's very weak, and it'll will take time for her to heal. She has a lung infection, a blood infection, several broken ribs, she's hypothermic, dehydrated and she's been beaten and starved for weeks. I'm not going to lie, she might not wake up. » _

She might not wake up.

She might not wake up.

The words from the doctor loop in his mind but he refuses to believe them. Refuses to let her go. He lost her once, but it won't happen again. There's no choice to be made. If she'll have him, he belongs with Regina, and Marian will have to understand, he thinks. And then it hits him.

_Marian !_

She's the one who led him to this basement. She's the one he saw getting inside and out. The shock of finding Regina in that state made him forget why he was there in the first place.

He raises abruptly, gently drops a kiss on Regina's forehead, releases her hand and lets it rest along her side, murmurs « I'll be back, my love. I'll be back soon. » and leaves the room.

He meets David and Emma, still in the hallway, and tells them the whole story. How he thought his wife had changed. How she was nowhere to be found for hours. How he followed her one night and discovered the basement. How she may be -and probably is- responsible for Regina's condition.

A minute later they're gone. They call Belle while running down the stairs. She tells them she and Marian parted ways a while ago, she must be at the camp by now. Emma drives way above the speed limit, and they're there in no time.

He glimpses her, not far from Roland, talking with Little John, and ignores Emma's warning and David's hand trying to stop him from grabbing his wife and pinning her violently against a tree, his forearm pressing against her throat just enough to make her shriek in surprise and open her eyes in fear.

« Give me one reason not to kill you right now ! »

Her eyes are full of panick, and he hears Emma, David and Little John's voices behind him, telling him to calm down, to let her go, but he doesn't listen.

This, that woman, is not his wife.

He doesn't know how that's possible, but she's not his sweet Marian. Marian would never do that. She would never hurt someone, treat a person like that out of jealousy.

« Robin, please. » she pleads « You're hurting me. »

But he doesn't let go. He won't believe her lies anymore, won't believe a word she says.

« Robin, what are you doing ? » asks Little John, confused.

« Papa ? »

Roland's small and frighten voice brings him back from his anger, and he looses his hold just enough to look at his son. But soon, he remembers Regina's body on the ground, and his attention is back at Marian again.

« Little John, takes Roland away from here. I don't want him near her. »

« Robin... »

« Do it ! » he screams, and his friends doesn't need to be told twice, catches a scared Roland and walks away. He knows better than to argue with his friend when he's that furious.

Robin makes sure they're gone, before taking a step back, releasing his 'wife' completely.

She bends forward, a hand to her neck, confused eyes looking frankly at him.

« We found Regina. » Emma says. « We know you were the one to kidnap her. »

And Marian's whole face changes into a wicked smirk. She brings her hand to the necklace around her neck as she says « In that case, there's no more need for this pathetic appearance. »

They gasp when her body changes in front of her, letting Zelena's feature replacing Marian's. Robin stumbles back, mouth opened in shock, eyes filled with horror, and Emma and David reach for their guns but the witch is faster and with one movement, she sends them crashing against a tree nearby.

She walks slowly to Robin, who's dazed, unable to believe what he sees. He's been such an idiot. He had noticed something was wrong but never, ever, he would have believe his Marian was... well... _her_.

She leans forward, a finger tracing the curve of his jaw, and he doesn't move, just glares angrily at her, fists clutching so tightly it hurts. He has never raised a hand on a woman, but he really feels like making an exception right now. And he wants to. Is about to. But she doesn't let him time to do it when she raises her hand and sends him flying backward, his head hitting the floor a few meters away.

« It's so bad, you couldn't just be happy with what you had. Your wife was back, it should have been enough. »

«You were never my wife. I should have understand your trick sooner. But you won't hurt Regina anymore. She's safe, and I won't let you get near her, ever again. »

Zelena lets out a sarcastic laugh « As if you could do anything against me. »

A second later, she's gone, and David is by his side, helping him to get up. They warn the Merry Men, tell them to be careful, not to trust Marian again, it was all a trick, the witch is back. After hugging his son tightly, promising him he'll be back soon, Robin follows Emma and David through the forest and to the hospital.

When he steps into her room again, she hasn't move an inch.

* * *

_Please, don't kill me now XD I know I haven't been nice with Regina, I'm sorry, but that's the way the story wrote itself. Couldn't do anything against inspiration._

_So, now that they found Regina, and Zelena has been unmasked, we'll be going back and forth between Regina's past in the cellar and her present at the hospital for a few chapters. You'll have a part of each period in every chapter._

_And I didn't really give any explanations, but the reason Emma doesn't want Henry to come with them at the hospital is to protect him (at least that's how I saw it). She doesn't know if Regina is going to make it, and she prefers Henry not to be here if that moment happen (anyway, I don't know how it works in the US, but in my country, we don't allow family to stay with the patient when we're treating them). Plus, the waiting in an hospital is the worst part for a family, and I get that she prefers him to be at home instead of in the middle of the crazyness. I know it's maybe too much, but that's the way I felt when I wrote it._

_Thanks for the support, reviews are always much appreciated._

_EvilRegalPanda : Thanks ! Glad to see you like it :-D_

_pt159 : Hope you're not disappointed or about to murder me XD_

_Guest : Thank you for reading and reviewing, it means a lot ! And I don't know if we are in the minority, but I love Zelena too. I'm so glad she's back, despite the current situation. I can't even be mad at her to be honest (in the show, not in my story XD). She wanted to ruin her sister's happiness, and did everything she could to reach her goal. She's a bit like Regina was with Snow : She's ready to go as far as it takes to get what she wants, and if someone else happen to be hurt, that's just collateral damage. She really is Regina's sister and Cora's daughter ! And I never think of it this way, but yeah, they all managed to overpower and terrorize the realm they were living into XD_


	6. Chapter 6

Regina, 2nd week in captivity

She has lost the count of time. She's staring at the darkness all day and night, the only periods of light being either her sister's visits or the happiest but also most painful moments. It's when the mirror activates, shows her images of her son, her family, of Robin and Roland, living their lifes, being happy, without her.

Her sister and her insufferable giggles and propension to throw at her face her new happy life, she can handle. How much she misses her loved-ones and how they seem to have forgotten her, it's a different kettle of fish, one she hoped after coming back to Storybrooke she'd never have to experience again. Because despite the numerous time she'd been confronted to a separation from a person she loved, the pain never gets easier to deal with.

She sees them at Grannys, at the park, at home, playing and laughing and loving and being happy. She sees tender gestures and soft looks. She sees care and human warmth. She sees everything she doesn't have anymore, everything she will never have back if she never gets out of here.

She knows there are chances Zelena is making this up to hurt her, but it's working. As much as Regina tries to focus on the joy to see them unharmed, to convince herself they haven't given up on her, that they are looking for her, she can't help the resignation and doubt to take over her mind, to drive her toward sadness and despair.

Her sister is right. They _are_ happy without her. They keep living their lifes without her. Oh, she didn't expect Hook, Charming or even Emma to actually miss her. But she had strong hopes that at least Henry, maybe Snow, or even Robin -though they've only been together a short time- would care enough not to fall into Zelena's trap. She thought maybe they would fight the idea of her leaving without a goodbye, as a coward, nothing but a letter and an empty house behind her.

She shouldn't be resentful, tries to shove the feeling aside, because she's not even sure those images are real. But they look real. So real she could almost stretch her hand forward and touch their faces, had she not been restrained by chains.

So, in order not to let the bitterness and despair take her, as she guesses her sister expect, she focusses on how much she misses them. How much she wants to see them again. Hold them. She's not a hugger, never has been, never will be, but she's starving for love, kindness, and human's warmth more than she's starving for food or coziness. And she thinks the moment she'll see them -because she will, she will not stop fighting until she's out of this place-, she will be the one to hug people, this time.

xxx

Regina, 3rd week of captivity

It must have been weeks now that she's here. She's seen her sister a few times, always gloating, always mocking her, always looking at her with that smirk and power plastered over her face that Regina wants to wipe off with her bare hands.

But she can't. Everytime she's trying to remove the chains, their grip seem to tighten and her wrist even starts to be very painful all the time now, and she feels the smell of blood as it slowly flows from where she's injured.

She feels weak. Not because she's been depossessed of her magic. After all, she lived 28 years without it. No, it's physical. Her body is telling her to save what little strength she has left, to hold on as much longer as she can. She's in a survival mode. Do nothing except what's necessary. Spare as much food as you can because you have no idea when the next 'meal' will be served. Move as little as possible and sleep as much as you can to save your energy. Try to stay warm no matter how icy the water, ground and wall are.

She tries her best to hold on to what she had, what she _has_, she corrects mentally. She focuses all her energy on Henry's smiling face, the way he holds her, the sparckle of happiness in his eyes when he remembered her just before she broke the curse. She thinks of Snow, and how the two of them have grown close during the missing year in the Enchanted Forest. Snow, thanks to who she's finally trusted herself enough to let go of her fears, which led her to open herself up to Robin. Robin, and his blue eyes full of care and tenderness, looking after her since the beginning, even when she was so afraid to let him in that she was pushing him away harschly. Robin, who thinks he's been blessed with his dead wife's return, while this is all a twisted trick and lie.

She shakes her head. _Do not go on that road_, she tells herself.

She saw them. Zelena made a point to show her every gentle and loving moment between her and Robin. Every kiss, every caress, every touch. She has to close her eyes and cover her ears with her hands not to see and hear those moments of intimacy, but the sound is always too loud, the light from the mirror too bright and she always loses the battle and ends up crying in a corner, defeated.

* * *

Present day

It's been 4 days.

4 days, and still nothing.

Regina is still unconscious, though Whale has stopped all the medication keeping her in the coma.

She's stable, hasn't declined, but hasn't improved either.

Henry is here now too.

After Whale's prognosis and assurance it will take a few days for Regina to awake, and a talk with her parents telling her Henry was getting crazy at the loft, treatening to snick out to get to his mom and that it was pointless to keep him away -and they all knew he was right- Emma realized she'd made a mistake by keeping him away from his other mother. She changed her mind, telling him it was best he spent as much time with Regina as possible.

Since the moment he's stepped into Regina's room, he's barely left it.

So here they are, Robin and Henry, each holding one of Regina's hands. They barely speak, at least not to each other. Henry still has some difficulties to deal with the fact that Robin gave up on his mother so easily. Truth be told, the boy knows he didn't, because somehow believing she was gone to create a new and happy life was easier than imagining her agonizing somewhere. But anyway, it felt that way, and though they never truly spoke about it, Robin is well aware of that.

But they know what Regina needs right now is not a fight, but people who loves her, who supports her, who leads her journey to the living world, so it's like a silent truce between them.

They haven't seen or heard from Zelena since they unmasked her, and it's also one of the reason Regina is never left alone and Emma cast a protective spell around her room. She's not sure it's going to stop the witch, but it's something.

She, David, some of the Merry Men and people from the town keep looking for her, but no luck so far. She's hiding. Is very good at it. Everyone is anxious because they know when the witch will strike back, she will strike hard. And with Regina down and Gold so caught up in his new life as a husband, despite Emma's powers, they feel defenseless.

Robin thinks of those past weeks, of how she fooled him and everyone else and he blames himself for not seeing clear in her game. He should have realized sooner. All the fights, the short temper, the yelling he was so not used to. The fact that every time Regina was brought into the conversation she was suddenly showing a jealousy he didn't know she had. He understands why now, but it's too late. the damage is done, and it's the woman he truly loves -he came to realize that while watching over her and praying for her to come back to him- who paid the price for his inability to see past the physical appearances.

He thinks of Roland, so happy to have his mother back, that he still doesn't understand why his father told him he could never see her anymore, that she was gone forever. Little John brings him every day, but they stay outside the hospital, go to the park nearby, eat an ice cream or drink a hot chocolate at Grannys. The last thing the boy needs is to be traumatized by the sight of an uncouscious and bruised Regina linked to so many machines she's almost drowned under the wires. Whale removed the tube in her throat helping her breathing, so it's less impressive, but still. He has too much to worry about without having this image stuck into his son's head. So he splits his time between them both, between a still confused Roland and a barely alive Regina.

« Hey ! »

Ruby's soft voice draws Robin away from his thoughts, and he smiles weakly at her. She walks to him, glimpses Henry's sleeping form on his mother's arm, before handing the man a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

The young woman has been helping since they've discovered Regina. He knows they've never been friends. Even in the Enchanted Forest, Ruby was always reluctant to stay around when Regina was here. But since that day at the farmhouse, she admitted she would have never wished for the former Queen to be treated like that. No one, should have to suffer that kind of treatment.

« Still no sign of improvement ? » she whispers, glancing at Henry, careful not to wake him up.

Robin shakes his head, and sighs. It feels like an eternity. It feels like they're still on the edge. Whale hasn't cleared Regina from any risk of getting worse. The infections are under control, but still there and a relapse is still possible. The only thing to do, is wait.

xxx

« Come on, mom. You have to wake up. »

Henry tries his best not to show his fear and pain at seeing her like that, manages to keep his voice strong and encouraging, hoping if she can hear him, it'll give her the courage she needs to come back to him.

He's been alone for the past ten minutes now. Robin is out with his son, and Ruby, who took his place to not leave Regina without someone to protect her, has left the room when she got a phone call, and hasn't returned yet.

He uses that moment between just him and his mother to talk her through her coma, the way he did each time they were left alone.

He tells her she can't leave him. She can't give up. She has never given up before, ever. He knows her story, knows _her_, and he keeps reminding her she would never stop fighting. He knows she's tired, and sick, and he has no idea of what she's been through, but he's certain she can go past this. She's not alone now, she's not struggling on her own to keep her head above the water. She has a family. She has friends, people ready to fight for her. She has him. And he's sorry he forgot how much she loved him and he loved her so many times before. He's sorry for what he put her through. But he's here now, he's not going anywhere. He didn't stop believing in her this time, and won't. He knows she can beat this. He has faith in her. She's stronger than she's ever been, she has light magic now, he recalls, nothing but pride in his voice. Nothing can stop her.

He doesn't want to lose her. He can't, not again. They finally found each other. If she's too weak, he has enough strength for the both of them. He trusts her, them, to be able to come back from that. She just has to believe.

He clutches her hand tightly in his, watches her face deeply, holds his breath as he tries to find a sign, any sign, of her awakening. But she doesn't. She's still still, and not as pale as she was but her face is still battered and bruised. He never saw her like that, so vulnerable, so weak. He's not even sure he ever saw her sick before.

He scoots his chair closer, brings their linked hands to his chest, opening her palm so she can feel the steady beats of his heart against the crook of her hand.

He keeps his tears locked inside. He won't show any sign of weakness, not in front of her, not when she needs him strong and supportive. But seeing her like that is hurting more than he imagined, the simple thought of her never waking up, never being a part of his life anymore, is unbearable. She's always been here, for as long as he remembers. She's always been the one constancy in his life. Even when he pushed her away, he could still feel her gaze watching over him from afar. She gave him everything she had. She never failed to be there once, when he failed her so many times. He realizes now, that even when she was trying to rip off of his mind his idea of him being special and part of a fairy tale world, it never was to hurt him. It was not to lose him. She didn't choose the right solution, but her intention has always been to be his mother, to be the one person he could rely onto no matter what.

So he makes the silent promise that from now on, he will never, ever, in his whole life, let her down, or doubt his love for her. He will never again be the one to make her cry. He will be one to bring her joy and happiness every single day, to support her and help her every time she'll need to be reminded how wonderful and good she's become. He promises never to leave her, and make sure she'll find her happy ending. Because she's his mom, and she deserves it, more than anyone else in this town.

* * *

_I know, not a lot of dialogue in here, but with Regina either alone in the cellar or unconscious at the hospital, it seemed more appropriate to have all the main characters focusing on them, their thoughts, their feelings, their loved-ones than having an animated discussion while drinking wine or coffee._

_There is a bit more of action planned in the next chapter, but I don't know how you will react to it... And you will find out if Regina will wake up or not ;-)_

_Also, I hope I soothe the anger of those who didn't like Emma's reaction at keeping Henry away from Regina (though if you think about it, that's pretty much what she did from the whole S2 more or less S1 without a second thought...)._

_SamanthaFreita3 : I hope you liked the RegalBeliever part of this chapter ;-) It was not written when I posted chapter 5, and I was looking for something to add in this chapter. Your reaction made me realize I didn't write a part focusing on him while Regina was at the hospital, so you kind of gave me the idea ;-)_

_EvilRegalPanda : Thank you ! Glad to see you like it so far. Hope you're still happy with this one ;-)_

_pt159 : Thank you for sparing me XD (though I'm not sure you'll hold on to that with what I've planned but I won't say anything else). Here was the part about the mirror ! I try to focus on a different aspect of her captivity in each part (there's two more to come). About a wicked outlaw baby... Nah ! No way ! I love Zelena, I love Robin, but I love Regina even more and she belongs with Robin and the baby part is killing me too ;-) (though not as much as the barren part... Still haven't recover from that scene). So no baby at all in this fic, especially not a mix between Shrek and Merida (since that seems to be the bets on twitter XD)._

_Again, thank you for the reviews, fav and follows. You do know that's what motivate us, right ? So feel free to review, I love to read your reactions or feelings about my story, and sometimes I even adapt what I've already written depending of it (like the « why Emma finally let Henry go to Regina » part here, that was supposed to be shorter than that)_

_By the way, I have a major contest next week, from wednesday to friday, so I'm not sure I'll be able to post a new chapter before that. I'll try, maybe this week-end, but no promise._


	7. Chapter 7

_Okay so after almost five days being locked up in my room studying, and two more coming up before the first day of my exams, I'm just becoming crazy so I'm taking a break and giving you a new chapter. Plus, I'm feeling a bit guilty because nothing important really happened in the last one so..._

_I hope you'll like this one. Please tell me what you think ! There's a big even in the first part and also at the end. I'd love to know what was your reaction when you read it._

_Warning for this chapter in the author's note at the end, so don't check it out before reading if you don't want to get spoiled ;-)_

* * *

Regina, 4th week in captivity

She shouldn't let herself drift that way into oblivion and abandon, should fight back her sister. At the beginning, she tries. Hard. She refuses to give her sister the satisfaction of seeing her broken, and fights with all she has inside, never shows her any weakness.

Until one day, Zelena opens the door, and things turn out differently than usual.

It must be the middle of the night, because it's dark outside when her sister enters the cellar. Regina is startled, wakes up abruptly from a restless sleep, raises onto an elbow, her hair falling over her face as she stares silently at Zelena pacing angrily in front of her.

Zelena is pissed. She can see that. Something has irritated her and Regina has the feeling that this is not a courtesy visit and she'll be the one to pay for it. And she doesn't wait for long. Less than a minute after her sister entered the cellar, she feels herself projected against the wall behind her. Her back hits it, hard, and her breath is knocked out of her lungs for a moment, the pain being too much for her to even move a finger.

When Zelena releases her magic and Regina falls to the floor, she lands on her ribs, and hears a crack, another surge of pain washing through her body, stronger this time, and she can't help a whimper to escape her lips. She coughs, trying to catch her breath, but it hurts even more and her eyes snap shut and she grits her teeth until the wave of pain passes, a tear betraying her and escaping from her eyes. But before she has time to recover she collides with the wall again, except this time Zelena keeps her firmly against it and takes furious steps toward her, closing the gap between them, a finger pointed in her direction.

« I hope for you and your loved-ones that your dear Robin Hood will calm his harsch tone against his wife. »

Regina stares at her in surprise, then smirks. He's fighting her, she thinks. Somehow, someway, Robin is pushing Zelena away, because Regina knows him too well to simply believe he would be verbally agressive toward his own wife.

« Trouble in paradise, sis' ? »

She earns a slap for that and suppress the groan that threatens to escape her mouth as her head knocks heavily against the bricks.

Zelena straightens her spine, her tone suddenly lighter, her mood changing so quickly that Regina is confused for a second. « Don't worry, it was just an argument. You know, a little husband-wife fight, as all happy married couple have. It's nothing a little make up in bed won't fix. » Regina makes a point not to react to the disguting image her sister just willingly implanted in her brain. « It's just... you know me ? » she shrugs, looking at her with a falsely guilty smile « I'm not the most patient person in the world. »

Regina doesn't answers, just glares. She doesn't know what the subject of the fight was , but she feels a hint of hope at the idea that maybe, just maybe, Robin is realizing something is wrong with his wife.

« Anyway, since I have you, I can come here to relax myself a bit. I always dreamt to have my own personal punching-ball. And after all, sisters do have their fights too, right ? What do you say, Regina ? You're ready to go to the next level of our relationship ? »

Horror fills Regina's eyes as she understands what her sister's about to do to her. She barely has time to tell herself not to give into her perversion, not to give Zelena the satisfaction to hear her scream, but she already doubles over in pain, an excruciating pain that's burning and devoring her from the inside, making her feel like a fire has lighten up in her body and electricity is cursing through her skin, while her sister is giggling, hand held in front of her, increasing the intensity of the spell, not giving her a moment's respite, until Regina finally gives up and screams, tears prickling at the corner of her eyes.

« That's it beautiful ! » she hears between two waves of magic « Scream for me ! »

And it goes on like that.

For every argument, every bad mood, every doubt Zelena experiences, Regina is the one paying. Sometimes, there's no bad day, just her sister having fun with her. She's coming more frequently now, and Regina can tell she truly enjoys the situation and the power she has over her. She goes through every spell her sister is throwing at her, collides with every part of the wall behind her, sometimes even endures a direct blow coming from Zelena's hand, her strength increased magically, when Regina attempts to fight back. She feels her bones break one after another, keeps telling herself not to give her the satisfaction of hearing her beg -and she doesn't, manage to hold on and survive without coming to that every time-.

Her body is a whole shade of blue and red and green and yellow and brown. There is not a spot free from bruises and contusions. And she can't even begin to imagine the internal damages this treatement has caused. Every part of her is hurting. There's not even enough time for one mark or injury to heal that it's covered by another one.

At the end, she doesn't even fight the pain, just welcomes it with open arms because the pain is the only thing that proves she's still alive.

* * *

Present day

Snow comes by everyday, usually stays a few hours. She's mostly silent, and it scares Robin more than he thought would be possible because the princess he's learned to know in the Enchanted Forest and then Storybrooke is nothing but silent. She's cheerful, always talking, sometimes giggling, a smile stuck on her lips, her eyes shining with hope and love and forgiveness.

She's nothing like the woman sitting across the bed next to Henry, a hand above the covers on Regina's knee, rubbing absentely, staring at the unconscious woman as if she could wake her up with the intensity of her sight.

He knows she's feeling at least as much guilty as he does. She's known Regina the longest. Despite their history, she's come to understand her at a level very few of them can pretend to reach. Somewhere, deep down, she must have known Regina would never have left without Henry, without telling him, without a fight, without an explanation.

When he looks at her, he sees the fear in her eyes. Fear, than Regina might not come back from this. Fear, that even if she does, she won't be able to forgive them. Forgive _her_. Doubts, that this might break her step-mother even more than she already was, that she would push them away for good.

But he also sees her determination. Her hope, that she's going to get better. The almost certainty, that after everything Regina went throught, she won't give up so easily, she won't give up on life, not now that she's so close to finally be happy. The promise, that no matter what, she will always be there for her step-mother, will never again fail her the way she already did, so many times.

Because despite what everyone thinks, despite what the Evil Queen did, despite the murders and slaughters, the threats, the tortures, the liveless bodies abandonned by dozen in the middle of the forest, one of the reasons Regina became who she became was that no one, ever, has been there for her, truly cared for her.

She suffered an abusive mother and a father too weak to protect her.

She mourned Daniel alone, hiding the secret from Snow for years.

She married a man so eager to be a good King and a good father he forgot to be a husband, and never noticed the woman standing next to him on the throne and her misery.

She faced the reason of her lover's death everyday, forced to be kind and loving, forced to pretend she wasn't wrecking on this inside.

She met a demon who did nothing but using her for his own purpose, never once caring about her well-being.

She lived alone in a mansion for years, until the light of her life, her son, appeared and eased her pain for a while.

She was pushed away and rejected by said son, treated like she's been nothing to him but a stranger hosting him for the first ten years of his life.

She's been replaced in her son's heart by the very woman who broke what she thought was her happy ending.

She's been misunderstood and unfairly accused of murder while she was nothing but innocent and penitent.

She's been forced to abandon the person she loved the most to go back somewhere she hated, forced to deal with an unwelcomed and crazy sister ready to destroy her a little bit much. As if there was more to destroy.

She's been forced to face her son for weeks, to pretend she didn't know him, didn't love him, didn't crave of holding him tight and never let go.

She's been the one to vainquish many threats -the destruction of the town, Pan's curse, Zelena's spell- and never once has been rewarded or thanked, not even by the very people that called themselves her family and friends.

She's seen her newfound happiness destroyed again by the very person she'd started to think as an ally, and has been ripped away from the man she'd finally let herself open up to.

If Regina came back from all of that, if she managed to find redemption and love after everything she did and went through, then she will find a way to wake up. There was nothing less sure in Snow's mind.

xxx

« Hey kid, you're hungry ? I brought you a burger from Grannys. »

Emma walks into the room, nods toward Robin what's meant to be a hello, then hands the sandwich to her son. He absentely takes it, mutters a _thank you_ and drops it on the tray next to him, still not leaving his eyes from his mother's still body.

Emma meets Robin on the other side of the bed, gives him his own sandwich and gestures for him to follow her outside.

The minute he's up, he stirs, his whole body numb from being in the same position all day. He follows the woman in the hallway, both of them glancing at Regina's still unconscious body on his way out.

Emma hasn't spend much time at the hospital. She prefers to spend her days tracking the witch and trying to come up with a good plan to protect Regina and everyone else, but hasn't gotten a lot of success yet. He witnesses her frustration every time she comes by to bring them food, news or pick up Henry at the end of the day to go back home to sleep. She's feeling powerless, and as probably everyone else, guilty. But she's not talking about it. Instead, she focuses all her energy on finding the responsible for Regina's condition and a way to bring her down once and for all.

« I spoke with Whale » Emma says softly once they're out of the room and from Henry's ear shot.

Robin's face falls immediately. He knows what the doctor thinks. It's been a week, and still no improvement. The chances of Regina waking up are fading away.

« I refuse to believe it's too late. Regina is the strongest woman I've ever met. She was conscious when we found her. She won't give up without a fight. She just need time. »

« I know, and I agree. But she already fought, hard, probably harder than we can imagine, to get out of there alive. » He sighs, shakes his head and she brings a hand to his arm, nothing but compassion and understanding in her eyes. « Look, she indeed is the most stubborn, strong and insufferable woman I know. » A smile tips a corner of his mouth up « and I still have hope she'll get back from whatever hell she's been through. But I also think we should get prepared to the idea she might not... »

At the exact same moment, a sound coming from the bedroom draws their attention. They barely have time to step into the room that Henry's hopeful voice is heard.

« Mom ? Mom ? Mom, it's me. Do you hear me ? »

* * *

**WARNING : Violence and torture !**

_No regalbeliever scene in this chapter, I thought Snow deserved her part too. After all, even if I'm not a fan, she became quite close of Regina and she indeed is the person who knew her the longest. I didn't manage to make a clear transition between Robin's POV and Snow's, but the « analysis » of Regina's life is obviously told from Snow's POV, as Robin is more likely unaware of most of it._

_For the first part... I hope you're not mad at me... Though with the state they found Regina in, and the warning in the summary, I think it was expected. Maybe not... Anyway, I'm eager to know what you thought about it._

_And finally, a small part with Emma at the end. I wanted something bigger with her, but I couldn't make it work. Usually it comes easily, but here... Nothing. Guess it wasn't meant to be XD_

_Coming next : The last week of Regina's captivity and the continuation of the last scene of this chapter._

_Thank you again for the reviews and fav and follows. I love to know what you think ! And it's a motivation to give you a new chapter sooner than planned ;-) So you know what you have to do !_

_SamanthaFreita3 : Thank you ! There will be more Regalbeliever moments. I love them, more than OQ, that's something... I mean, I love Regalbeliever when Henry is not a complete idiot XD (so basically, S3 and mostly 4, the S4 finale being the icing on the cake !) There was no room for them right now, but given how this chapter ends I think you can imagine there is a little place for them planned in the next chapter ;-) And even more after..._

_EvilRegalPanda : Thank you very much ! Glad to see you still like it :-D_

_Guest : When I saw your review I was like... « Ouch... You're really not gonna like the next chapter... » But I do hope you're not gonna jump at my throat right now ! I love Regina ! I swear ! But my story started from this idea, from Zelena finding a way to overpower Regina and torturing her (don't ask why... I have no idea !). I hope you're not disappointed. And I will come back to the fact Regina saw 'Marian' and Robin being together in one of the next chapters (not the next one though), so you'll know more about what she thinks of it ;-) There's a heart-to-heart discussion between Robin and Regina coming up where the subject will be brought up._


	8. Chapter 8

_So I am finally free from college ! Finished my finals this morning._

_I wasn't supposed to be home today, I have so much that I have to do now that I have time, but I needed a break, and I'm using a small part of this time to give you the next chapter._

_I hope you'll like it, and I'm looking forward to read your opinion about it !_

* * *

Regina, Last week in captivity

Her body is numb. Every movement, every breath, is a torture. She doesn't have the strength to move, barely touches the pieces of bread her sister gives her, because just the idea of trying to bite in the hard dough hurts.

She keeps seeing the images of the person she loves through the mirror, but it's all blurred. She can't stay focus anymore. Her mind is shutting down, her whole body is shutting down and she guesses she must spend most her time sleeping -or in a state between sleep and consciousness at least-, only awakes during her sister's visits, when she's forced to suffer her endless speeches about her perfect life or endure her wrath on the bad days -well, is there even good days anymore ?-.

She doesn't move from the floor now, her head pillowed on the arm free of the chain, the arm that doesn't hurt like hell, that doesn't feel like her skin is burning and twisting and slowly dying. She does not even try to sit, only changes her position when necessary, when the cramps in her body are too strong to be ignored.

Sometimes, she wishes for the death to take her. Sometimes, she wishes for this to come to an end. But then, she remembers : Henry, Roland, Snow and Robin, even Emma and Charming. She thinks of them, of everything they've been through together, from Daniel's death to that night at Grannys, from Henry's adoption to the day she let him go at the town line, from Emma's arrival in Storybrooke to Neverland, from her first attempts at redemption to the missing year in the Enchanted Forest.

They are the only things keeping her from giving up, from letting go. That small, really small, tiny light at the end of the tunnel, is the last piece of hope she has left. She can almost hear it sometimes, that soft voice telling her to fight, feel those arms wrapping around her, see that wide smile lightening the darkness that became her every day. In those moments, she falls asleep with her son's name on her lips, praying the Gods from all the realms and religions to give her the chance to hold him one last time.

But despite all her efforts, all her good will, she can't fight the inevitable.

She's sick. She knows she is, can feel it. She started coughing a while ago now, and it only got worse, aggravating her already sore and probably broken ribs. She's shivering more and more often, the violence of it sometimes startling her and waking her up from her restless sleep. She's cold, can't manage to warm herself up, not there, not when she's lying in dirty and muddy water. She tried several times to change of spot, find a drier place to stay, but the chains are definitely too short, and she curses under her breath because she knows that's exactly what Zelena had planned.

Speaking of the devil...

She's drifting in a state just above sleep, but manages to hear footsteps, louder than usual, and she frowns -or at least, tries to, most of the time her body refuses to listen to her- because it doesn't look like her sister.

And then she's wide awake. There's voices. _Several_ voices. They're just above her, and she wants to scream, to call but she's weak, hasn't speak in days, and her mouth is dry, and her attemps vain. They couldn't hear her anyway, she thinks, so why bothering to try ?

But there's a bang, and then light. Blinding light. Someone calling her name -or so she thinks- and running to her. She tries to raise onto her elbow, but fails and falls except someone catches her this time and she feels the human warm she's been deprived for so long surrounding her. She's not sure who's holding her, can't even open her eyes to look at them, but she knows she's safe.

And for the first time in weeks, she lets go.

* * *

Present day

In a few minutes, the room is full with Robin, Emma, Henry, Whale and a nurse.

The doctor is bent over Regina, who's waking up slowly. Her eyes are still closed, and she's wincing, whimpering, tries to move her arms but she's weak and all the perfusions entrave her movements and she ends up losing the battle, both her arms falling back against the softness of the matress.

« Regina ? Regina, can you hear me ? Squeeze my hand if you do. » When she responds to his request, a smile lights up Whale's face. « Good. Take your time, there's no rush. Everything is fine, you're at the hospital. »

He keeps talking to her, keeps guiding her journey from the limbo to the living world, and a few seconds later her lashes flutter and she groans as the blinding light enters her vision. Her eyes snap shut immediately, but she tries again, and this time blinks a few time before finally meeting Victor's soft gaze.

« Welcome back ! »

The moment he says that, Henry rushes to his mother side, grabs her hand and calls for her. Regina's face turns to him, and it takes her a second to realize exactly where she is and who is in front of her. He knows the moment she recognizes him because there are tears in her eyes, tears that start to fall because she'd probably come to think she would never see him again.

He blinks back his own tears, because his mother needs support and he's ready to do anything to help. He smiles broadly, clutches to her hand, lets the emotion take over him and leans in to pull her into an embrace. She doesn't respond, probably because she hasn't enough strength yet, but he feels her squeeze his hand tightly and her nose nuzzle his neck, breathe him in, and they both share a relief and content sigh as they're finally reunited.

When he pulls back, he's beaming at her, and she may not be able to do the same, but despite the exhaustion on her face, her eyes are telling him everything he needs to know. He reads the love she feels for him. The pain of being away for so long. The happiness of being back, of seeing him. The frustration of not being able to take his face in her hands and drops a hundred kisses to his cheeks.

He tells her it's okay, she's going to be okay now, they're here, she's safe, she came back, he loves her, he's going to take care of her.

She tries to speak but nothing comes out. She coughs once, twice, a third time, her body shaking violently each time and making her wince and letting out a small whimper again, until Whale asks Henry, Emma and Robin to wait outside for a few minutes, the time for him to do a check-up on his patient.

Henry is reluctant to leave his mother now that he got her back, but Regina smiles softly at him, nods, as if to say _I'm fine, you can go. I'll see you in a minute_. So he follows Emma when she leads him outside.

It takes one second. In one second, he bursts into tears, accepts Emma's shoulder and embrace to cry his fear and relief, his body shaking with every sob taking him.

Robin leans back against the wall, lets himself slide to the floor, face in his hands, fighting his own tears. His heart is leaping with joy but all the anxiety, the fear, the uncertainty he's been feeling the last week, it's all coming back at him in waves and he doesn't know what he would have done if she hadn't woken up.

He's also -he still has trouble to admit it- afraid she might reject him. He's not sure of what she knows about his life with Marian -well, Zelena, better start to call her by her real name-, but he has a pretty good feeling the witch didn't spare her sister any detail of her marital life.

Whale gets out of the room, asks them not to bother her for too long, she's still exhausted, and she can't speak yet, her throat is too swollen and sore from the intubation and the lack of use. He knows they won't leave her side, they can't anyway, not with Zelena still out there, not now that they got her back, but he tells them not to ask too many questions, to let her sleep when she needs too. He still has to check up on her regurlarly, and she won't leave the hospital anytime soon, but so far, she seems fine.

Robin gets up warily, and when he finally enters the room, Henry and Emma are already by her side. He stays at the entrance, leans against the doorframe, just looks at her, her beautiful radiant face and smile even though she still seems tired and sore, but she stays the most stunning and breathtaking woman he's ever seen.

He doesn't dare to step inside, just observes her in silence, watches her nod to her son and Emma, smile at them. They're on the other side of the bed, so while she looks at them she can't see him. But soon Emma tilts her head toward him with a small smile, and Regina turns her head, spots him, and his heart clenches in his chest, beats faster, louder, when for a few seconds, they just look at each other, lose themself in a moment that's just theirs, forget about everything around -Henry, Emma, the bipping machines, the pain, the fear, Zelena, the weeks apart, the diner's night-.

And then he feels butterflies rise in his body, relief and happiness striking him with so much force he thinks he could faint from it.

She's smiling at him.

Truly, deeply, smiling. She opens her hand for him, tilting her head to motion for him to enter the room, silently begging him to join her. He takes three large steps, grabs her hand, closes his eyes because even that simple contact is too much emotions for him right now, and he leans forward, his lips landing on her forehead, lingering there, kissing again and again, each one meant to settle, to reassure, to soothe. Who ? He's not sure.

When he recedes, she's looking at him right in the eyes, and hers are shining with all those unspoken feelings hanging upon them and that they're not reading to voice yet. He doesn't say a word, doesn't care that Henry and Emma are just next to them. He brings his free hand to her face, the other still safely tucked in hers, caresses her cheek, stucks his forehead to hers, before bringing his lips to hers and forgetting about everything around.

* * *

_So... Regina is awake ;-) I can almost hear some of you say "Finally !" XD The part about the cellar from Regina's POV is over._

_In the next chapter, you will get Zelena's POV (we'll follow her for the next three chapters, where I'll explain her view of those five weeks and of the actual situation). And also, because the chapters will still be cut in two parts for now, a totally, hundred percent RegalBeliever scene at the hospital (I'm sure some are already looking forward to it)_

_EvilRegalPanda : Thank you, I'm happy to see you're not resentful about the violent part XD. Like you said, I put a warning in the summary. Things will settle for a bit, but there will be some more action later, it's clearly not over, Zelena is still out there and Regina is definitely not safe._

_SamanthaFreita3 : You have a bit -not much, I know- of RB and OQ here, hope it's enough to sustain you until the next chapter ;-) I'm so happy to know I'm making you happy ;-) It's the best compliment, thank you !_

_Inkheart : I totally get you ! I rarely start in-progress fanfictions because I'm definitely not a patient person XD And I'm sorry to tell you, but there's a lot of cliffhangers coming up in this one. Some meaner than others, but still. By the way... Je suis française ;-) Tu peux tout à fait me laisser tes commentaires en français si c'est plus simple pour toi, je prend aussi :-D Merci beaucoup pour ton commentaire, ça me touche vraiment !_

_And now that I don't have to study all day and I can burn all my books, I'll have time to post two chapters in a week. Though I might upload faster and a bit more if you give me your opinion about it. Think of it as a fair trade ! Reviews against a new chapter ;-)_

_Thanks again for the reviews and fav and follows !_

_And a special thought for someone who will -I think, I hope- recognizes herself ;-) I hope you're forgiving me for being so cruel with our favorite queen. I hope the second part of this chapter will help soothing some of those moments. And I'm still thinking about the prompt, I just wasn't very productive today after my exams, I'll focus on it tomorrow ;-)_


	9. Chapter 9

_Hello ! A new update for you today ;-) _

_I haven't written the last chapter yet, but we are in the middle of this story. I have started chapter 16 a while ago, but I think at least another one will follow and maybe an epilogue. _

_I hope you'll stay with me until then !_

* * *

2 days after Zelena was unmasked

Zelena lets out a frustrated groan and her fist lands on the table with so much force its balance is shaken for a second.

They found her.

Her little snoop and stupid boyfriend managed to figure out where Regina was hidden, and now that bitch must be surrounded by all that disgusting love and sentimentalism she, on the other hand, barely got the chance to taste.

She'll make her pay, she thinks. No ! Them ! She'll make _them_ pay ! She'll find a way. She will strike harder than she ever did, and this time she's not just bringing Regina down, but her whole bunch of heroes too.

She gets up, paces for a few minutes, her mind still erratic from the anger and frustration. She tries to calm down, to come back to her senses. She won't go anywhere if she acts on a impulse. She's safe, for now. Has found the perfect place to hide, an abandonned house in town, not too exposed to be noticed, but not too isolated either. She can spy on them through the window, has a full view over main street, without being spotted. So she has time. Time to regroup, to think, to plan.

Her plan was so perfect. The moment Robin had brought her back to the camp, she knew she had to act quickly. She poured a glass of water for each of them, emptied a small vial of liquid in her 'husband's' glass while no one was watching. Five minutes later, he was already yawning, eyelids heavy, and they walked to his tent, where she lied against his side, head pillowed on his shoulder, his arms shyly circling her waist. When she was sure he was sound asleep, she transported herself in Regina's mansion, careful not to appear in any place her sister could've been. And she waited. She didn't have to wait too long though, because not even fifteen minutes after she arrived, she heard Regina close her files, getting up, and wandering in the house to turn off the lights. She was hidden in a corner, ready to strike, and as soon as the opportunity presented herself, as soon as Regina spotted her, she did.

Once in the cellar, she made appear the magic chains she'd spent months creating back in Oz, when she was already working on her revenge over her sister. She'd been careful and very specific with it. It was made of real chains, thick enough to not be broken or opened by bare hands. The two cuffs made for an ankle and a wrist were wearing small spikes, digging in the flesh of the prisoner, and draining his magic little by little everyday. And at any attempt to run away, it was not only restraining him violently, but also digging deeper into the flesh, preventing any further tentative to happen.

She never planned for Regina to escape her trap when she built them, but should she ever succeed, it would take weeks for her magic to fully return, giving Zelena time to go after her and end her miserable life.

After making sure Regina was exactly where she wanted her -in the most wet and cold place of the room, to remove all the comfort her sister'd always known and been blessed with-, she went back to her mansion, magically making disappear every single clothe, shoe, jewel, or item belonging to her sister. She took care of her car too. She'd spotted an abandonned house at the edge of the town in which she sent all her sister's things, before placing a magic cloacking spell around it so no one would noticed it should they approach too closely.

Still at the mansion, she started to write a letter meant for Henry -she knew her sister loved that boy very much and would never leave without a word for him-, to explain the reasons of his mother's sudden disappearance, but realized the boy would probably recognized a difference in the handwriting. So Zelena'd opened a file resting on the desk, spotted her sister's words, and used her magic to write her letter with the same handwriting.

Once it was done, she dropped the letter on the bed of the main bedroom, and started to walk to the door, when she noticed something that could just add to her plan. : A set of keys. The ones from Regina's office. She took them with her and appeared in front of the Mayor's office. She checked the match between the key and the lock, and as she heard a click, she mentally screamed to victory. Without opening the door, she sent the key on the desk on the other side, and checked the clock in the hallway. 3.14am. She needed to get back to the camp if she wanted to sleep a little and pretend she never left Robin's side on the morning.

And now, she has to think of a new plan. She has a thousand ideas swirling in her head. Picking the right one, the one that will not only make Regina pay but all the others as well, is the hardest part. She thinks back to every item she created back in Oz, as she was already trying to figure out a way to get rid of her sister after making her suffer. She mentally scrolls through the list, until she finds it. A wicked and sadistic smile lights up her face.

She knows exactly what to do...

* * *

5 days after Regina woke up

Henry is sitting on a chair by her side, looking at her with bright and shining eyes, and she can't help but bring a hand through his hair, stroking slowly, smiling deeply. She missed him so much. She loves him so much. She was so afraid she would never see his face again except through a mirror glass.

He stayed with her almost all the time since she awoke, barely releasing her hand, barely taking his eyes off of her, leaving as late as he could on the evening and being the first one to knock at her door in the morning. She can see how much he worried, how much he feared he too would never see her. She wants to wipe the fear away, removes the doubts and gives him nothing but love, tenderness, care, safety. She wants to promise him she will never go away again, wants to tell him she's fine now, he needn't worry anymore. But she spoke with Emma and David. She knows her sister is on the run. She knows Zelena will never rest until she gets her revenge on her. And she guesses she must be fuming with rage over her failure.

With that thought in mind, Regina can't truly bring herself to fully relax, to drop her guard. She's been out of coma for five days, and she's still exhausted, weak, sore heavily medicated, and definitely not ready for a fight.

She knows Emma has trained with magic, but without her guidance or Rumpelstiltskin's, Regina's not sure she's done much progress. And with her former mentor not that eager to help in the research for the witch, Regina is the most liable to confront her sister when the time comes.

Truth be told, it's her fight. Not Emma's. Not Rumple's. _Hers_. And she can't wait to finally end this madness. She offered Zelena a second chance, and she turned it down. So no matter what, with everything she just put her through, there will be no forgiveness anymore. No more chances. No more deals. She will bring her sister down, even if she has to pay the ultimate price to succeed.

« Mom, you're not listening ! »

Regina blinks twice, coming back from her thoughts « Hmm ? I'm sorry, what were you saying, honey ? »

Henry gives her a doubtful look, cocks his head and frowns. He's studying her, trying to find the flaws in the mask she manages to keep up when he's here, the mask that will not show him how broken and hurt she is inside. She didn't tell him what she went through. She won't. She hasn't tell anyone yet, maybe will at some point, but she'll make a point to be sure Henry never finds out.

He asked, questionned her with eyes filled with concern and apprehension. She stayed silent first, not sure of what to say, not quite expecting the question yet, not ready to talk about it. « I do believe this is not your place to care about that, Henry. » she'd finally say with a soft but still raspy voice and a weak smile, her finger tracing the line of his jaw with affection. He protested, assured her it was, she's his mom after all, but she stood firm. At some point, he just gave up, and focused on the present moment, on having her back, and they never brought the subject up again.

« Maybe you should rest. » Henry concludes, his observation apparently over. « You look tired. »

Regina chuckles, her soft gaze landing on him. « Is that my private doctor's recommandation ? » she teases.

Henry's concerned face turns into a wide smile, and he plays along. « Yes it is. Come on ! » he urges, pulling the cover up over her body « I'll watch over you. »

« Actually » Regina protests, and she knows he won't like it and there's a few chances that it ends up with a fight « I think you should go home. »

Henry's brow shoots up in surprise, and he straightens in his seat, taken aback by her request, and quite determined not to leave her side for a second. « What ? No, mom, I... »

« You need to spend some time out of this hospital, honey, other than just for sleep. I understand that you want to be there for me, and I appreciate that more than you can imagine. But you need to go home, and let others take care of you for a few hours. You also have to go back to school. » she adds with a pointed look, not calling for an argument, because Emma sheepishly confessed he stubbornly refused to set a foot back there since they found her almost two weeks ago. « You can come back later. »

« I won't leave you. » he protests and crosses his arm on his chest, leaning against the back of his chair and rooting himself there.

« Henry ! » she warns in a firm voice. « I may be stuck in an hospital bed for now, but I'm still your mother, so you will listen to me. Go home, and let your grandmother or Emma take care of you ! I'll be sleeping anyway, so there's no point for you to stay here. »

« But... »

« No but ! I believe David is the one standing guard outside my room right now, so you go to him, and ask to be driven to the loft. »

« If he leaves, there will be no one to protect you. » Henry argues.

« I'll be fine, don't worry. And I could use some time alone to be honest. » Her voice is softer, no longer scolding, her gaze sweet and loving, comprehensive of her son's need to protect her, but also filled with her own need to feel she's still his mother and a well-capable grown-up, not just a invalid everyone made their duty to overprotect.

And she's reluctant to let him near when she's sleeping. She's been having nightmares. The images of the five weeks she spent underground keep coming back at her the moment she drops her guard, melting with old memories of painful moments of her life. She doesn't want Henry to see her like that, so vulnerable, so frigthen, so weak. She knows he's been here once, she remembers how shocked he'd been to see her like that, and she refuses to let that happen again.

He's still looking at her with hesitation, not quite ready to push her limits because he knows pretty well how she reacts when he oversteps, but not comfortable enough with the idea of leaving her alone, even for a short time. She sees the conflict in his eyes, beckons for him to sit on the bed next to her, brings her hand up to cup his cheeks, and leans forward, struggling to hide the pain her broken ribs keep sending through her body with every movement. « I love you. » she whispers so only he can hears.

He drops his gaze for a second, but when he looks at her again, he's smiling. It's a weak smile, defeated, because he knows she won, and there is nothing but sincerity when he answers in kind « I love you too, mom. » And then « I just don't want to lose you again. » he finally admits, and she ignores the pain when she sits fully and brings him to her chest, smiling as his arms wrap around her body carefully enough not to harm her, his face burried in her neck.

« You won't, Henry. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. »

He recedes, looks at her with unshed tears in his eyes. He wants to believe her, but he's still afraid, the image of her liveless bruised and broken body still fresh in his mind. He rests his forehead against hers, closes his eyes, just _feels_, lets her warm love and tender touch surround him and ease some of his fears away.

She drops a kiss to his brow, strokes his cheek one last time, and urges him toward the exit with a smile.

« Go » she orders gently « I'll be right here when you come back. »

With a last wave of his hand and a still not convinced smile, he leaves.

Regina falls back against the pillow, groans as she lands with a little more force than planned, her wounds a strong reminder of her condition. She closes her eyes, and slows her breathing. Henry was right, she's exhausted. In mere minutes, she's already sound asleep.

* * *

_So... Zelena found a new plan to get her revenge. Any theory ?_

_And a special moment for my RB co-fans ;-) I know, Regina asked him to go home, but she has her reasons, and she's not pushing him away, she's just being a mom. And I never grow tired of their « I love you » and quiet moments just between the two of them, that's why I couldn't help writing that here._

_In the next chapter, we will mostly speak about the consequences of Regina seeing Marian/Zelena with Robin through the mirror, from the three protagonists POV. The part about Zelena will not entirely be focusing on it, but it will be mentionned. And the OQ scene will finally let an honest talk between Regina and Robin take place._

_SamanthaFreita3 : Thank you ! And I was sure you'd say it XD ! I'm sorry, but with my finals last week, I couldn't update sooner. A huge dose of RB here. I hope it's enough to sustain you -though can we really get enough of those two?-, because the few next chapters will be focusing on other characters for a while._

_EvilRegalPanda : Thanks for still being here ! So you got RB. Hope you liked it ;-) Get ready for OQ next week !_

_InkheartQueen : Euh... Que dire après un tel commentaire ? Je ne m'y attendais pas, vraiment, merci beaucoup ! C'est un énorme compliment que tu me fais, je suis très touchée. Un chapitre par demi-heure risque d'être difficile en revanche XD, j'aurai terminé en quelques heures seulement, et tu n'aurais plus rien à lire (j'ai des fics en cours sur mon PC mais je n'avance pas aussi vite que prévu). En tout cas, je suis ravie de voir que j'ai su attirer ton attention et t'intéresser :-D_

_Clau23 : Thank you very much ! The funny part is that the moment I got a notification for your review, I was already taking a last look at my chapter before posting it XD Are you sure you didn't know ? XD And it's strange, you're not the first person being relieved Regina remembers them. I never intended for her to forget them, or maybe I gave mix signals. Anyway, I'm glad to see I caught you into my story._

_Thanks again for the reviews, fav and follows ! And for sticking with me and this story !_


	10. Chapter 10

A week after Zelena was unmasked

While she's silently turning her new plan into reality, Zelena can't help the loneliness to wash over her again. It's a feeling she grew up with, but she'd managed to put it aside and almost forget about it for the last few weeks. She tries to focus on her task, but eventually, loses the fight against her tortuous mind and the images come back to her.

Though she's not a fan of Robin's way of life, she somehow enjoyed the time she spent with him. It felt good, being loved and taken care of.

Oh, she's not a fool !. She didn't fall for the man, never could. Love is a weakness, the reason she got to her sister this time. But it was nice not to be hated, not to be seen as a monster but as a woman, a person. And yes, the sex was great too. Of course, it wasn't her first time, but she'd never been treasured and cherished the way Robin did. It was a whole new experience, and the pleasure that usually comes with it had only been incredibly more intense.

Sometimes -most the time to be honest-, she felt something was wrong with him, like she wasn't quite who he truly wanted to make love to. And she knew exactly who he wanted. That knowledge only increased the satisfaction of what she was doing. Robin was a handsome man, but she didn't care for him. Nor for his little brat so eager to call her « mama » and spend time with her.

She's never been the maternal type, has never been good with children. She only suffered the boy because he was a part of her plan.

Until that day, when things started to change.

Roland spent his day following her around, everywhere, all the time. At first, she answered his need to be with her. But at some point, after hours of languing some time alone, she just lost it. She found herself yelling at the boy, screaming that he let her be for at least five minutes. Or better, an hour. That crybaby started to sob, his lower lip trembling with the surprise of being scolded so vigorously, and Robin and some Merry Men stepped forward, wondering why she was acting of the sort.

She tried to apologize, give a coherent explanation, but Robin just crouched in front of his son, craddling his small body in his arms, soothing him with sweet words and touch. He just glared at her, and turned his back on her, ignoring her for the rest of the afternoon.

Later, that night, after Roland was safely tucked in, he just walked inside the tent she hid into the rest of the day, not quite sure how to handle the situation. After all, she's never been married before.

He was mad at her, she could see it with just a simple look. He told her there was no reason she yelled at their son like that, that she couldn't reproach him the fact he wanted to catch up the time they never had the opportunity to share. He barely let her time to justify herself, finishing with a « I don't know who you've become, but I don't recognize you anymore. Sometimes I wonder if _this »_ his hand moving back and forth between them « was not a mistake. » that had her gut twisted with fear. She stepped out of the tent, claiming she needed some air, and walked through the forest, straight to the storm cellar where she was keeping her sister.

Robin didn't need to pronounce her name. Zelena knew exactly to what and who he was refering to when he spoke about making a mistake. Regina was still deeply rooted in his mind, and in Roland's too, for she sometimes heard the boy asking his father why she wasn't around anymore. The pain on Robin's face in those moments was obvious, and his explanations always a little vague.

No matter how hard Zelena was trying to be enough, her damn sister's ghost was still hanging upon her head, a constant reminder that Regina'd always been blessed with more than what Zelena could ever hope for.

She never planned to be physically violent at first, her only goal being to break her mind and destroy her every hope at a happy ending. But that night, all her jealousy, all her frustration, all those unspoken and hidden feelings Zelena experienced during her life, all of it just screamed at her to make the responsible for her misery pay. And after half an hour of torturing her sister, she just realized she was feeling much better.

So that was it. Her new outlet. She'd just found the perfect way to calm her bad mood and short temper, and no matter if she saw her sister becoming weaker day after day. She was feeling better, and if Regina had to pay the ultimate price for that, so be it.

* * *

Present

It's been two weeks since she awoke, and her magic still hasn't return fully. She's frustrated, wonders what is taking so much time, tries to make it work anyway but she only manages the simpliest spells for now.

Rumple came by one day, and when she asked him he simply said her body was probably still healing and the process was taking all her energy, so she didn't have any left to work on getting her magic back. But she needn't worry, it'd come back, given time and rest.

So she focuses on something else. On her physical recovery.

Two days after she woke up, Whale gives Regina the clearance to get up. She's waiting for nothing more, can't wait to stretch her leg and get out of this bed. They are careful, too careful, she thinks. They want her to take her time, claim she's still weak, but stubborn as she is, she doesn't listen.

She nearly falls the first time, one of the nurses catching her just in time. Her legs are shaking, weak and throbbing under her weight. She barely remembers the last time she's been walking. Hell, she barely remembers the last time she's been standing ! She spent so much time -5 weeks, they told her- sitting or laying down on the ground, and then another weeek in this hospital bed, it feels like a lifetime ago.

She asked everyone to get out -Snow, Henry, Robin, Emma...-, she doesn't want them to see her like that, with a nurse on each side of her, holding her arms, guiding every step, congratulating her.

She rolls her eyes, struggles with the situation. It feels like she's back into that castle during her first years as Queen, when she could not even remove her clothes or brush her hair on her own. When there were servants and maids everywhere eager to help her doing the most basic acts of daily life.

But somehow she knows it's not exactly the same. And this time, she has to admit she needs their help. So she lets them. Grits her teeth, but mouths no word.

After three days, she's more steady, can almost make a few steps on her own. After a week, she's not as solid as she wants to be, but she manages to walk for a small while with Robin or Snow in the hallway, always really early or late, when no one is there, when no one is watching.

Whale is claiming she needs mostly to rest, but she's not the easiest patient, and she enjoys that small part of recovered freedom too much to really listen to what he says. She knows he's right though. Because everytime she comes back to her bed after a walk, she's so exhausted she falls asleep almost instantly.

They notice how hard it is for her to be confined inside the hospital, and they're still worried about Zelena trying to get to her sister while she's recovering. So they come in turns, making sure she's never alone, day and night. It's Robin and Henry most the time during the day, but she's getting visits from Snow and baby Neal, David, Emma and Hook, Robin's men, even Ruby, after the two women silently decided to burry the hatchet. And there is always someone outside her room anyway.

She even saw Roland yesterday. The boy was so shy she wanted to throw herself out of the bed and run to him. She needn't do that though, because his shyness last less than a minute, and soon, he was sitting on her lap, talking animately with her, asking a million question, cuddling in her embrace under Robin's loving gaze.

Robin, who's been acting a bit sheepishly, as if he needed to be forgiven for his actions.

He's been this way since she woke up, despite the smiles she was giving him, despite the lack of resentment in her behavior toward him.

But it got worse a week after she awoke.

They were alone, door closed, and just talking about their sons, and he wasn't on a chair but sitting on the bed along her side. At some point, slowly, waiting for her approval before moving closer, he leaned down, and kissed her. They had kissed before, since she awoke, but it was always chaste and shy, none of them feeling ready to state about where exactly it was that they stood after everything that happened.

But this time was different. This time, he deepened the kiss, and she brought him closer, winding her arms around his neck, sighing contently against his mouth. She was still weak but she missed him so much she didn't care. His hand currently stroking her hip gently moved under her blouse, and he started caressing the soft skin of her belly, a gentle touch, just a caress, soothing the still sensitive flesh with his fingers.

She knew it wouldn't led to actual sex, it was still too soon, and they were not ready, and it wasn't the right place, but as he kept moving up, up, up, an uncomfortable feeling began to settle in her, growing stronger with every second and every inch of skin Robin was reaching. Images started coming back at her and she struggled to keep control over them. She tried not to squirm under his touch, tried to focus on the goosebumps raising all over her body, the butterflies in her belly, on how much she wanted him to do just what he was doing and even more. But when he reached the cup of her breast, she stiffened, unable to bear this contradiction of feelings much longer, breaking the kiss and pushing away his hand gently, looking everywhere but at him, guilt, shame and embarrassement washing over her.

She explained she was still feeling a bit sore, and tired, and maybe now wasn't a good time for that, and despite the hurt she read in his eyes, he nodded, and never did it again.

She felt guilty about hiding the truth from him, but no matter how much she wanted him, she wasn't ready yet. It wasn't until a few days later that the opportunity of having a real conversation about that moment happened. That time, they did what they had both avoided since the beginning. They talked, really talked.

She remembers as if it was yesterday.

3 days before

He's sitting on a seat by her bed, a weak and absent smile on his lips, gaze empty, fixed on her hand that he's holding and stroking slightly, barely listening to what Emma is saying. At some point, Emma notices, and excuses herself, claiming she has to check on the security they set around the hospital, glancing at Robin on her way out to make Regina understand her point.

« I think we should talk. » Regina says finally, as he seems to haven't notice Emma's absence.

He comes back from his thoughts, and his face falls, guilt and anxiety washing over it. She brings a hand to his cheek, cups his chin to guide his look to hers, and smiles.

« I think _you_ need to talk. » she corrects. « What's going on, Robin ? And don't tell me nothing ! » she warns as she sees him open his mouth to protest. « You've been acting strange since the day I came out of coma. Talk to me ! Please ! »

He sighs, squeezes her hand tighter, interwining their fingers, bringing them to his mouth and kissing every one of her knucles.

« I'm sorry. » he breathes. She doesn't answer, her eyes an invitation to continue « I failed you, Regina. Twice. Hell, even three times, when you think about it ! » With that he recedes in a sudden movement, letting go of her hand that fall flat on the matress, frustrated, angry at himself, and she doesn't understand, so she cocks her head in question.

« What do you mean ? »

« I let the Dark One took your heart, that day in the forest... » he begins but she cuts him by raising her hand.

« I never hold any grudge on you over that. Roland's life was at stake, you did the right thing. »

« Maybe I did that day, but since... » He drops his head again, pinches his nose and she just waits, gives him the time he needs. « I was choosing her, Regina. » he finally admits, looking up at her guiltily. « The day you disappeared, I tried to come to you to tell you I was choosing her. And when I didn't find you, I... I was almost relieved, because I didn't need to confront you about it. But then, Henry came to find me, saying you left town, and he didn't believe it, thought I was responsible for you hiding out somewhere in Storybrooke. He believed in you, Regina. He believed you didn't abandonned him, us, _me _» he breathes, his voice breaking with every word, with every admission of his cowardice « when all I did was turning back to my life with Mar... » he stops, finding himself incapable of admitting it.

She leans forward, grabbing both his hands and bringing them to her lap, forcing him to look up at her, forcing him to move closer so she won't have to speak too loud and he won't be able to escape the conversation.

« I knew, Robin, that you would choose her. » He frowns, confused, and she smiles softly, eyes bright with unshed tears. She swallows hard, but keeps going « You were in an impossible situation, and it was the right thing to do. I understand. I don't blame you for choosing... » She can't say it too, so she corrects « For not choosing me. »

She doesn't mention why. She doesn't say it was because she thought everyone would be a better choice than her. It wouldn't help, and given the current situation, she actually think there is someone worse than her now.

« But I abandonned you. I never looked out for you. And everything you went through... I mean, I don't even know what it was you endured, but I think maybe I could have done something. I could have stopped her. »

« And facing her on your own would have put you and Roland in danger ! Robin... » It's her turn to sigh, wincing as the pain of staying sit on her own starts to come back at her and he reaches for her but she shakes her head to stop him. « I'm not going to lie to you. Even after we defeated her -because we will- » she adds, looking at him right in the eyes and there is so much determination in hers he thinks she looks so much like the Queen he met back in the Enchanted Forest « I'm not sure things will get back to the way they were between us » She sees the hurt in his eyes and hurries to continue « At first ! » And now he looks so confused that she decides she owes him an explanation, though she didn't plan to tell him and she's very well aware this might hurt more than comfort him right now.

She takes a deep breath, stares at their linked hands, and starts « During my time there, Zelena made sure I witnessed how everyone was letting me down, how you and Henry, and Snow, Emma and all the others, were living your lifes like I'd never even existed. She hanged a magic mirror on the wall in front of me, and sometimes, it was turning on, showing me happy moments you all spent without me. I know she was carefully choosing which one to show me. I know it because... » She pauses and sees him tense as he seems to understand where this is going « She made a point to show me every moment the two of you were spending together. _Every_ moment. » She repeats, tugging at the word and his hand, and Robin's eyes widen in horror and he recedes from her, breaks the contact, gets up and turns his back on her, a hand over his face.

Regina doesn't say anything, just leans back against the cushions because she's exhausted and the physical pain from her injuries is becoming too much, and gives him time. She knows it's a lot to take in. But she needed to say it. She needs him to understand why the last time he tried to touch her, she just couldn't, and that the next time they will be together, alone, and will want to move forward, she will need some time to get there.

He turns toward her, as if about to speak, then stops, finally looks up at her, then down again and she notices a tear rolling over his cheek. She holds her hand for him, and he hesitates, finally grabs it, lets her guide him to take a place on the bed next to her.

« I'm sorry, Robin. I didn't want you to feel bad about it. I just... I just needed you to... »

« Is this why you... The other day, when you pushed me away, was it... ? »

« Yes. » she cuts softly, just admitting the truth. « I... »

He doesn't let her time to finish, just pulls her in an embrace, his face burried in her neck. Her free hand lands in his hair, and she tries to soothe his pain as she feels him clutch to her like his life depends on it.

When he finally calms down, she lets him recedes, looks softly at him, nothing but kindness and understanding in her eyes, while his are filled with pain and guilt and unshed tears.

« I'm so sorry, Regina. »

« It wasn't your fault. »

« But... »

« It wasn't your fault, Robin ! » she insists, firmly but gently. « I'm still here, and... » She pauses, makes sure to never break eyes-contact as she admits « I want to be with you. » She sees his whole face lightening up « That is, if you still want to be with me. » she breathes shyly, looking away.

He catches her chin and tilts it up « Of course I do ! There's nothing I want more than that, Regina ! » he assures.

She smiles sheepishly, before adding after clearing her throat, her voice still low as her tone grows more serious « I just wanted you to know that, for some time, I'm not sure I will be able to be... » she struggles with the word, then finally lets out «_ intimate_, with you. » And he nods. « I tried and I really wanted to but... I think I need to get rid of those images first. » she snorts, looking away again and he winces.

« Can we just... » he pauses, gives her time to meet his gaze again « not talk about it, anymore ? If it's okay with you ? »

« Believe me, it's more than okay. » she says sarcastically, a bitter chuckle following her words.

« Good. I think I'll need time to forget too. » he admits and she brings a hand to cup his cheek.

« I'm sorry. » she says, and he raises an eyebrow in question. « Sometimes, I forget she hurt you too. »

He looks at her with nothing but love in his eyes, then leans forward, presses a sweet and slow kiss to her lips, lingering there but not asking for more, a hand settling behind her head to bring her closer while she tugs at his shirt, answering his kiss with a slow moan. He pulls back just enough to stuck his forehead to hers, and confess « I missed you. »

She smiles. A bright smile that reaches her eyes. « I missed you too. »

They kiss again, then fall silent. He lies beside her and she cuddles in his arms. He holds her for a while, rubbing her back as she lets the strong beat of his heart lulls her to sleep.

No matter what Zelena did to break them, they're still here. They're still fighting. It will take time, but they will find their way back to each other. In some twisted way, what she did brought them closer, raised their relationship to another level, made them understand what they had yet no clue about, what they're not ready to voice yet.

It takes Regina a few minutes to let go, but safely tucked in Robin's embrace, despite the nerve-wracking conversation they just had, she drifts into sleep quite easily.

Back to present

As she remembers this, a few days later, she gives a warm smile to the man currently talking with Killian, then goes back to listening Henry's story about Neal's abilities to prevent everyone from sleeping more than two hours in a row.

* * *

_Here's the big OQ talk... I hope you liked what I did with it. I couldn't let myself separate them over what happened with Zelena and Robin's bad choices, but I didn't want Regina to completely go unmarked by it. So she will need time, but now they're really back together._

_As for Zelena... I wanted to show how she felt those weeks with Robin and Roland. They never talked about it in the show, maybe they will in S5, but even if I'm sure Robin was just a mean to an end for her, I'm also pretty certain she enjoyed a small part of being with him (like sex, yeah I know, it's awful but that's the truth, who wouldn't ? I mean, it's RH, he's hot !). And I also wanted to explain why suddenly she became violent toward her sister, because for me, it was a radical change in this story._

_Coming next : Zelena's plan is about to be revealed. She's almost done, and you will get a glimpse of it but it will mostly be developped in the next two chapters._

_And Regina will have another talk with another main character... Snow. What comes out of it might surprise our dear Queen..._

_EvilRegalPanda : Thanks for sticking with me, and until the end ;-) Mwah ! Hope I won't disappoint you._

_Clau23 : Here's your amor ;-) No shining armor, but a loving heart. Thank you for your long review. I loved writing the Henry-Regina's talk in the previous chapter. It's sad it always takes desperate situations for Henry to realize how much he loves Regina, but I'm glad he did. And the title of this story is actually coming from what he says to her through the mansion's front door in 402. This fic is mostly about them, though yeah, OQ is a large part of it too. And I made Zelena an awful person (BUT I would never make her pregnant with Robin's child, I'm not that sadistic nor masochist), but I'd never expected someone to be afraid of her. Maybe I did a better job than I thought XD_

_Your secret love (or _my _secret love, right darling ;-) ) : Thanks for reviewing this chapter on line and on twitter this time 3 You know I'm trying to keep the strong Regina we know. I'm not fan of the whining people crying over their fate, and she's never been that person, so she won't start now, at least not with me. I hope I did her justice in her talk with Robin, I know you've been looking forward to it._

_Guest : Okay uh XD... If this was your reaction to the previous chapter, that was a slow and nice one for me, I can't wait to see how you will react to the next chapters. Because I have a few cliffhangers coming..._

_So again, thanks for the reviews, fav and follows. There won't be any update this week-end, I'm attending a wedding and won't have the time neither the internet connection to post. But I think monday should be possible ;-)_


	11. Chapter 11

Zelena, present day

Finally ! After a little more than two weeks, her plan is almost complete. She just misses two ingredients. The two things that will make her sister do exactly what she wants. The two things that will allow her to overpower Regina once and for all, and destroy her, if not her body, at least her mind.

As she's thrilled to see her sister finally defeated, Zelena thinks back to those last blessed weeks where she'd finally been able to enjoy Regina's suffering. She remembers using her pocket mirror to take a look at the others, those Charmings, living their lifes without Regina just as she'd expected them to do. Well, they were looking for her, but never did they suspected Regina was still in town. So everytime she was seeing a happy moment between them, she was transferring it to the mirror Regina had access to. Every moment she shared with Robin, she was keeping carefully before sending it to her sister, knowing very well it'd broke her more and more everyday.

The tricky part, was not to get caught. As the weeks passed by, Robin began to become suspicious, asking her more and more questions about where she was, what she was doing, looking over her shoulder to see what she was up to every time she tried to be alone to check on her mirror.

She wasn't afraid he unmasked her actually. For who, in this pathetic stupid town, was clever or powerful enough to see what she was doing ? Even Rumpelstiltskin, the great and imperious Dark One, never saw her shell game, never noticed she didn't really die from his hand -or should she say dagger ?-. So if he didn't, who could ?

But it was getting annoying, having to justify herself all the time, checking her surroundings to make sure he wasn't there. She's not sure when or how exactly he managed to find out about the shelter she was keeping Regina in, but she should have known his thieving skills would become a problem at some point.

She'd wondered why he insisted so much that she spent a few hours with that stupid bookworm of Belle. But she couldn't let him see her doubts, couldn't let him grow more suspicious about her. So she'd played along, and here was the result.

Zelena's head peers from behind the tree where she's hiding. He's here. The first part of her plan. If everything goes the way she wants, soon, all of those stupid morons will beg for her mercy. But she won't show any.

Thinking back, she could have accepted her sister's offer at a redemption. But after her last encounter with Rumple, she'd realized there will be no redemption for her. However hard she would try, they would never forgive her. And since he decided to kill her and she managed to escape, well... Better use that second chance for a higher purpose.

There is no redemption for people like them, she thinks. Regina can fool herself as much as she wants, can bring down as many « villains » as she wants, she will never be part of the heroes family. Even Rumple, despite his supposed love for Belle, has succombed to darkness again when he tried to kill her. He lied to his newly wife the minute he got out of his cage. And now, no matter how good he was at hiding it, Zelena was sure he would never succeed on his supposed quest to goodness. If quest there was.

Coming back from her thoughts, she spots him playing on the ground, under one of Robin's men care. He seems a little sad, she thinks. But why would she care anyway ? He's not her son. She waits, in silence, stays patiently hidden until the favorable moment, until he's truly alone, until his guard is down. She knows Robin won't be there tonight, and her plan is ready, so she'll wait until night fall, until the camp is asleep.

And then... Then, she'll strike.

* * *

Regina, The next morning

She opens her eyes as she hears someone enter the room, and finds Snow, sheepishly smiling at her, still at the door, waiting.

« Can I come in ? » she asks softly.

Regina was trying to rest, eyes closed, Robin's fingers drawing soothing patterns over her arm, but she sits down and nods to the woman, her hand finding Robin's and clutching there.

« I'm sorry, I didn't know you were sleeping. »

« No, don't worry. » Regina reassures. « I don't mind the company, and I'm spending way too much time sleeping anyway. »

« Because you need to get your strength back if you want to get out of here. » Robin points, his voice gently teasing but his look slightly scolding, because she's not resting as must as she should, and knows it.

Regina narrows her eyes, gives him a look, and turns back to Snow who took a seat on the other side of the bed.

She looks tired, Regina notices, and worried.

A couple of days after she awoke, Snow came to her, alone, overwhelmed by the guilt and shame of not believing enough in her step-mother to know she couldn't have left. She'd confessed how even her hadn't looked for her, how aside from Henry, they all fell into Zelena's trap and thought she really had left town. She blamed herself for never standing up for Regina, for giving in in everyone's certainty that Regina needed time for herself and that running away was what she always had done and always would do.

She should have known better. She should have had faith. Henry did. Henry never lost hope. Henry always believed in his mother. And she didn't, and was so sorry for that.

Regina had surprisingly reassured her. Yes, she'd been mad at them. She'd been disappointed to see their lifes had been the same without her. She thought she mattered more than that for them, especially after everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest during the missing year. But she confessed she'd also been surprised to learn that, even if they didn't look for her in Storybrooke, they did seek her out in the real world -Henry had told her that the day before Snow's confession-. They never thought something bad had happened to her, but they tried to reach her where they imagined she was. Outside of town.

After all, Zelena's plan was a good one, and her sister is a master at manipulating people, that is maybe why they all fell for it. And if she doesn't want her twisted sister to win the battle, she can't hold a grudge on everyone for believing it. She's done with resentment. She's just happy this nightmare is finally over, though she's well aware the war is not.

« How are you ? » Snow's asks softly.

Regina shrugs « Alright, I guess. I'm not ready to run a marathon yet, and I'm still waiting for my damn magic to fully come back, but I'm feeling better. »

Robin raises, getting both women's attention, and leans forward to drop a kiss on Regina's forehead.

« I'm going to walk for a bit, let you two talk. Do you need anything ? »

Regina answers his smile, shakes her head no, lets go of his hand and her eyes follow him until he's disappeared in the hallway. She sighs, still staring at the door. She knows things have been hard on him too. He reluctantly confessed Roland was still asking after Marian, and the fact his father was spending so much time by her bed wasn't helping. She told him to go take care of his son for a few days, and he did. But given the situation, with Zelena still off the loop, he couldn't bring himself to just hope Regina will be safe, and finally ended up at her side again.

« How things... are, between you two ? »

Regina turns to Snow as she hears her question, and tries a weak smile. She's not mad at him for his decisions. She doesn't blame him for not seeing clear in Zelena's game. Well, she tries not to be at least. She really was, at the beginning, when she was captive. And the hurt of seeing him being with another woman and apparently getting over her so easily is still deeply rooted in her mind, but she shushes it. They were at the dawn of their relationship. She doesn't know how she would have reacted if Daniel had been brought back instead of Marian. Maybe she would have chosen Daniel. Maybe she would have tried to forget Robin too. There is no way to be sure. But what she knows, is that if she doesn't give him a chance to make things up to her, she might let go of her second chance at love, and she's done with pushing everyone away from her out of revenge. She likes him -_really_, likes him !- and she wants to be with him, so she will fight for what she wants.

Nevertheless, she's still reluctant to go beyong chaste gestures and sweet kisses -though really, it's not as if they have any privacy in an hospital room guarded by half the town-, but she enjoys just being with him for now, getting back slowly to what they had before this whole mess started, and he accepts just what she gives to him. She's not sure she trusts him as she did once, but it will come back, given time and comfort.

On his side though, she's under the impression he hasn't forgiven himself for not believing in her, and he clearly feels responsible for what Zelena put her through.

They fought over this. She told him again and again to stop it, to let go. He has to get over his guilt if they want to move on together.

She tells Snow all that, tells her about her doubts, her fear that despite all her efforts and her hope -yes, she learned to hope when she was dying and desperate to see them again, she mutters under the surprised smirk her step-daughter sends her- that everything will work out, Zelena managed to create a gap between her and Robin. She doesn't want to believe that, is pretty sure she has no reason to, but she can't help it.

Snow puts a reassuring hand over Regina's, smiling. « Regina, no matter what Zelena tried to do to you and Robin, I have no doubts you two will get past it. I'm not sure you're fully aware of how deeply this man cares for you. I saw it, when you were unconscious, when we thought... » she stops, because even if Regina's life is not in danger anymore -not from her injuries at least-, it's still painful to think back of that time. « When we thought you might not wake up. » she resumes, struggling with the words. « Regina, I'm pretty sure he would have died with you. So you stop worrying now, because he's not going anywhere, and neither are you. »

Regina looks down at that, mutters a « I wouldn't be so sure about that. » that she ponders with a « Zelena still wants me down. » to which Snow simply nods, before falling silent for a minute.

« It amazes me how much you've grown up since we first met. » the young woman finally says.

Regina tilts her head in question, surprised by the sudden and unexpected revelation. « What do you mean ? »

Snow bends forward, her forearms resting on her knees as she looks straight into Regina's eyes. « Not long ago, you'd have hold a grudge against all of us for not trusting you, not helping you. But here you are, comforting us and assuaging our guilt instead of the other way around. »

« Well, try to spend five weeks thinking you're going to die without ever seeing the persons you care about ever again. I can assure you holding a grudge against them is the last thing you want to do when you have the chance to get out of it alive. » she mutters, looking down at her hands resting on her lap. She takes a deep breath, before finally confessing « I was on the other side, Snow. What Zelena did to me made me realize what _I_ did to people when I was... » She hesitates, can't bring herself to voice it so she just says « back in the Enchanted Forest. It was a fair payback after everything I did. »

Snow's face shifts into a deep concern, and she rests a hand on Regina's shoulder, capting her attention.

« I disagree, Regina. You've changed. I won't deny all the mistakes you've made back then, and maybe _she_ would have deserved it -though that's debatable- but you didn't. You're not her anymore. You saved us, you saved _me_, more times than I can count now. And I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm sorry you had to go through this. I'm sorry I never thanked you before. I'm sorry I didn't believe in you enough to go after you. You may have forgiven me but I haven't forgiven myself. For what it worth, » she continues before Regina manages to argue « and I know I'm not the only one to think that... » She makes sure her step-mother hears and understands every word she's about to say before admitting, smiling softly « I'm proud of you. »

Regina's eyes fill with tears, and she gives Snow a watery smile, squeezing the woman's hand tightly in hers. She barely manages to breathe a _thank you_, her heart overwhelmed with too many feelings of care and love and pride and her brain still trying to process the words she always craved to hear but never was able to deserve until now.

They stay silent after that, for a few minutes at least, until Regina decides she doesn't want Snow's visit to be tainted by her bruised ego. She looks back up, cocks her head « So... Henry told me your little prince is keeping everyone awake days and nights at home. »

Snow is surprised by the sudden change of tone in the conversation, but catches up quickly, a wide bright smile lightening her face at the mention of her son. « That he is. He's driving his father's nuts. » she chuckles softly and the concern from the previous subject is all but forgotten.

xxx

The two women hear a shout in the hallway, then Robin's name, quick footsteps, then voices talking animately. They frown, wondering what might have just happened to cause that much hurry. Has Zelena made an attack ? Did she try anything ?

When a loud and strangled « What ? » coming from Robin is heard, Regina sits straight in her bed, and Snow gets up and heads for the door. She doesn't have time to reach it that Robin is storming inside the room, a man Regina remembers as Will -he apparently was found trying to steal from the town library during her time underground, and appeared to be a former member of the Merry Men- on his heels, out of breath.

« What is it ? » asks Snow, alarmed.

Will glances at Robin, then Regina, who's eyeing them with concern. Robin doesn't answer first, a hand in his hair, then washing over his face, worry and fear written all over it. Regina senses her guts twisting badly, an uncomfortable feeling taking her as she watches him carefully, the concern of a parent being quite clear in his behavior.

« Robin ? » she asks more forcefully.

He looks at her, and his eyes are pleading, as he lets out a strangled « She took Roland... » A gasp escape her lips and Snow's hand lands on her chest in shock. « And Henry. » he finishes and it takes Regina less than two seconds to process the information.

As she does, she removes the covers quickly, her bare feet landing on the cold ground and she winces at the unpleasant sensation. She takes a second to fully stand up though, because she may be steadier but her knees are shaking right now and she's not sure she can trust her body completely as it's filled up with so much fear she has to fight to simply think straight.

An arm catches her at the exact moment she's up, stopping her from stepping forward. She lifts her eyes from the ground to meet Robin's questionning gaze, Snow's just behind.

« What are you doing ? » he asks firmly.

« What do you think I'm doing ? » she scoffs. « She has my son, and Roland. I'm not gonna sit tight here gently, waiting for her to do whatever twisted plan she has in mind to them. »

She tries to move again but he holds her firmly.

« You're not leaving this room, Regina. You're not strong enough to... »

« And she knows it ! » she cuts, eyes filling with tears but also with anger. « That's why she's doing that now, Robin. She knows I don't have my magic fully working, she knows I'm clearly weaker than her right now. But she has Henry and Roland ! » she pleads with a painful sigh.

« And she did ask for you, your Majesty. » Will's voice comes out. Everyone turn to him, Robin glaring deeply but the young man ignores him. « She said you had to meet her on Main Street in... » he glances at his watch, then looks back up « half an hour. »

« Going out there to confront her in your condition is suicide, Regina. » Snow reasons, but the former Queen shakes her head.

« It's not your decision to make, any of you. » she says as she looks back and forth between Snow and Robin. « I'm going ! So either you help me, or I swear I'll find my way out of here even if I have to fight both of you with my bare hands. »

Here's the fire ! Regina feels it boiling inside her, the adrenaline cursing through her veins, keeping her standing, giving her the strength she needs to do whatever needs to be done.

Robin looks at her hesitantly, still not releasing her arm, not sure she'll go through her threats. But the dare look she gives him finally make him recedes, and she walks past him, directly to the small closet in the back of the room. She's glad she's already dressed-up, she won't lose more time. She grabs a pair of comfortable boots that Ruby and Emma bought her to replace the clothes Zelena made disappear, tugs at the zipper with force, then frustration when she's not succeeding, her fingers trembling, her body still not healed completely, her mind blurred with anxiety and panick. She catches Snow's frame crouching to help her while Robin settles behind her, his arms circling her waist so she can lean back and rest against him for a second. When Snow rises, she gives Regina a weak nod, and heads for the door with Will, leaving the couple some privacy.

Regina turns in Robin's arms, winds hers around his neck as his hands grip at her waist, bringing her closer until their foreheads are almost touching.

« Be careful ! » he whispers.

« Robin, I... » she starts weakly. She takes a deep breath, and looks right into those blue eyes frantic with fear and she can almost hear his fast and loud heartbeat as if it is her own. « I'll do everything, _everything_, to bring them back. Whatever the cost, I'll bring them back, safe. I promise. »

He understands what she's trying to say, and a tear escape his eyes as his lips find her forehead. He knows there's no way he will change her mind about the situation. He knows she'll fight to death if necessary for the people she loves, more even for Henry and Roland.

She closes her eyes, revels in that moment, takes from him all the courage and strength she can, bringing his mouth to hers for a slow, gentle kiss.

« I love you. » he finally confesses against her lips, not willing to let her go unaware of his feelings if there's a single chance she won't come back. He sees the small smile on her face, her grip on him tightening for a second before loosing again.

« I... » she tries with a strangled voice, as emotion takes over her, but Robin sees her struggle, shushes her softly.

« I know. » he breathes in the space between them.

She takes a deep breath, before growing serious again. «Robin, you don't have to come. I'll understand if you prefer... »

« I won't let you deal with this alone again, Regina. I'm staying with you this time. » he cuts her and she knows there is nothing more to say.

She removes her arms from his neck, grabs his hand and squeezes. After a last look where everything is said, they follow Snow and Will outside.

* * *

_So... Please, do not kill me yet ! You might want to later though XD, but wait a little longer._

_With this chapter, we are done with the two-parts chapters. There will only be one timeline from now on. It will mainly focus on Regina, as you can imagine._

_Zelena's plan will be completely revealed between chapters 12 and 13. This is also where action will take place, and I'm kind of dreading your reactions already XD_

_Thanks again for the reviews, fav and follows. I noticed there was a few new reviewers, I'm really glad to see that :-D_

_EvilRegal267 : Thank you for the compliment. You had a small OQ part in here, and well, I think we can say their relationship is growing, even if they're not both at the same level yet (or are not ready to admit it, take it as you want ;-) ). I won't be focusing much on them in the next chapter, I think you can guess why, but I'll definitely come back to it at some point ;-)_

_dennie99617 : Wow, thank you *blushing* ! I'm sorry for the cliffhanger (and the ones to come). I actually hate it in a show, but here I couldn't help it. I think it was necessary. I hope you'll stay with me until the end despite the frustration XD_

_MelindaMaySkye : So... I'm posting a new chapter instead of answering your PM. I don't have time to do both, sorry, it's alrealdy twenty to one am and I'm getting up early. I'm looking forward to see if I answered your questions and expectations, and know what you thought of this chapter ;-) You know you're always welcome to ask more questions, and you'll get an answer ;-)_

_EvilRegalPanda : Thank you ! Well, I'm praying you won't blame me for the cliffhangers and it will only make you want to read the next chapter even more XD_

_InkheartQueen : XD Merci d'y avoir pensé ! De toute façon les scènes romantiques ne sont pas adaptées aux chapitres à venir, alors dans tout les cas t'en aurais pas eu :-P Et oui, Zelena prépares un gros truc louche. Des idées ? ;-)_

_I will try to post a new chapter before the week-end, but no promise. Between my internship that started yesterday and my others activities, I'm barely home._


	12. Chapter 12

As she arrives on Main Street with Robin, Snow and Will, she's met by a very stressed Emma, trying to remain calm despite the panic written in her eyes, David, Hook, Ruby, Granny, Little John and some other Merry Men.

When she stops to face them, she feels Robin's arm winding around her waist and bringing her to his chest. She's not sure if he's doing that to support her for a few minutes, or because of the last words they exchange before leaving the hospital's room. Anyway, she doesn't hesitate a second to interwine their fingers and leans back in his embrace.

« What happened ? » she asks immediately.

« She attacked us on our way to the school bus. » David says quickly. « I barely had time to take out my gun that she already was holding him. She said she has Roland too, and if you wanted to see them alive, you needed to meet her here at 10 am »

Regina nods and turns to Little John, ready to speak but Robin beats her to it. « When did she got Roland ? »

« I'm not sure, but I'd say during the night. I tucked him in, and he wasn't there this morning. »

« I'm pretty sure it's not a coincidence that she decided to go after him on a night you were with me. » groans Regina, fury boiling inside of her and she feels Robin's grip tightens.

« What do you suggest we do ? » Emma asks.

« Well, she wants me, so now that I'm here she'll just... »

She doesn't have time to finish her sentence, a wicked laugh being heard in the whole street. All those facing Regina and Robin turn on their heels to face a very content Zelena, a satisfied grin plastered on her face. Emma is tempted to walk forward but Hook holds his arm to stop her.

Zelena takes a few steps and slowly closes the space between her and her sister, ignoring everyone's glares around her, glancing at Robin's protective arm around Regina and cocking her head.

« Oh, I see the love birds found their way back to each other at last. » she mocks, before her tone changes suddenly into a despising one « Don't get used to it, it will be over soon ! » she spits.

« What do you want, Zelena ? » growls Robin.

« Tss tss tss ! Is this an appropriate tone to talk to your wife ? » she says, waving her index in the air. None of them answer, they just glare at her. When she decides she's close enough, she stops, roots her feet to the ground, looking straight into her sister's eyes. « I'm going to give you a choice, sis'. I trapped each of your precious little boys in a different place of the town. Roland is at the barn, Henry at the town line. » When she hears movement behind her as some people start to head in those directions, she raises a hand, stopping them. « I'm not finished ! They are under a protection spell, one that I sealed with blood magic. » Regina's eyes narrow as she understands where this is going. « Which means... » she explains for those unfamiliar with magic and so her sister understands clearly the rules « Regina is the only one beside myself who can get to them. » She turns her attention back to the brunette staring at her. « As soon as I leave you, I'll activate the trap they're in, and you'll have one hour to save them. The trick is : In order to rescue your precious boys, you have to wear this » A green smoke appears in her right hand, leaving a silver bracelet with a round screen similar to a small clock she hands her sister « that will stay locked around your wrist until the time is out. It will block the few powers you recovered during the time you'll be wearing it, and more especially, your ability to teleport yourself _or_ be teleport by someone else's magic. You can't just poof yourself there, it'd be too easy. » she explains as Regina finishes to lock the bracelet and feels the heat of magic leaving her as it closes tightly around her wrist. « It also contains a time switch to let you know how much time left you have. As for how to free the kids from their chains, that's something you'll have to figure out when you'll be there. »

Regina is still looking at her silently, suspecting an information is missing in Zelena's explanations, and her heart squeezes as she dreads to hear it.

« What choice do I have to make ? »

« Oh yeah, that ! That's the final thing. Now, you lived here longer than I did. It will take you some time to free one boy. And you know very well that even with that world's magic called a car, you won't be able to go from one place to the other in time to save them both. »

Gasps are heard in the small crowd around them, but Regina doesn't move an inch, except for her fingers squeezing Robin's so tightly her knuckles turn white. On the outside, she's perfectly calm, despite the fire dansing in her eyes and threatening to roast her sister on place. On the inside, she wrecking. She knows why Zelena decided to use those boys. It's clever, she thinks. Cruel, but clever. If she saves Henry, she loses Robin and Roland. If she saves Roland, she loses her son, Snow, David and Emma.

In both cases, she loses herself.

Zelena managed to find a way to destroy her life and the ones of the closest persons to her.

« So who will you chose to save, sis' ? Henry, or Roland ? Which one are you willing to let die ? » She shrugs, eyes wide with excitment « Tick, Tock, Regina ! Tick, Tock ! »

And she's gone.

The tension around her suddenly explodes and voices come from everywhere and everyone, protests and battle plans and questions and they all want to have her attention but she doesn't hear any of them. She grips the bracelet on her wrist firmly, focuses, tries to find a way to counter Zelena's plan.

She can't let her win. She can't lose any of those boys.

Henry is her son, the person she loves the most in all the realms, the very reason she became who she is now, the greatest joy in her life. He is everything to her. The idea of leaving him behind when she had to go back in the Enchanted Forest was unbearable, but losing him in death would be insurmountable.

But Roland is so innocent. She learned to smile again with him in the Enchanted Forest. She learned to love again with him, after Henry, before Robin. She started to love him as her own, remembers how he was the only person able to soothe her pain of losing Henry during the missing year. And he is everything Robin has.

She can't choose.

Just can't.

Either way, she has a child's death on her hands, and it's just something she cannot live with.

So she thinks. Thinks again about Zelena's words.

She can't save them both. They are across town, and even at full speed she'd need at least twenty minutes to go from one place to another with a car. Not counting she has to get there first and the countdown has already started.

What else did she say ? She can't use her magic. Can't use someone else's magic. Can't teleport or be teleport. Can't...

Wait, what ?

And suddenly, her eyes lights up in realization as she thinks she found the flaw in her sister's plan. There's a risk it won't work, but if she's right, she might be able to rescue both Henry and Roland.

Ignoring the protests, she removes herself from Robin's embrace and starts to run, people calling her name frantically as she disappears at the corner of the street but it's the least of her worries right now.

In less than 3 minutes, she's at Gold's shop. She storms inside, breathless, meets Belle's surprised gaze, doesn't let her time to open her mouth when she collapses violently against the front desk. She's already exhausted. This will definitely not be an easy task.

« Where's your husband ? » she asks while trying to catch her breath.

« What ? Regina, what is... ? »

« Where is your husband, Belle !? » Regina shouts louder.

« Don't need to yell, dearie, I'm right here. » Gold's voice answers as he steps out from the back room.

« I need the seven-league boots ! »

« And why would I provide you with that item ? »

« Look ! While you were here playing the perfect husband instead of helping us, Zelena captured Henry and Roland, trapped them with blood magic at each side of the city and I have less than an hour to save them. » She glances at her wrist. 54 minutes. « She blocked my ability to be sent by someone's magic from a place to another to force me to choose which one to save, and the only way I can think of to save them both is by using an object that will allow me to go from one place to another at an incredible speed without disappearing. So give me those damn boots, _now _! »

Gold barely reacts to the news, but she knows him enough to be sure he'll help her this time, without any condition. After all, Henry is his grandson and he still holds a grudge against Zelena for Neal's death, even if he stayed away from all the research parties.

« How do you know it will work ? » he asks calmy, heading for a drawer behind his stunned wife.

« I don't. But I don't really have any other option here. From what I understood, this bracelet will only block my capacity to be teleported, but not _transported_. And it's neither my magic, yours or Emma's. » She grabs the pair of boots he hands her. « It has to work. I have no choice. »

As she puts them on hurrily over her own boots and feels them adjust to her size, she suddenly feels dizzy, and closes her eyes for a second, leaning forward and grabbing the edge of the desk to support her suddenly very heavy and trembling body.

She feels his hand on her shoulder, steadying her as he tells her to be careful, she's still weak, and reminds her the boots are only working at an expensive cost of energy.

She nods, repeats « I know. I have no choice », asks them to tell the other to split and wait for her at the two sites where Zelena keeps Henry and Roland, and in three steps she's gone.

It's working.

It's a weird feeling. Everything is moving around her so fast she can barely recognize where she is. It's not exactly like flying, but her feet barely touch the ground, and despite her exhaustion, her body feels light for now, is not longer a weight slowing her down.

She knows where she has to go first. She thought about it while running to Gold's pawnshop. She knows if she doesn't free him first, she won't be able to focus on her mission, her mind blurred with the fear already twisting her guts like hell. Anyway, she has no intention to let any of them die. She will save them both. She has to. Because she won't be able to live with the guilt of being responsible for a child's death and his family's distress. And she won't give Zelena the pleasure to see that happen.

Thanks to Henry, then Robin and Roland, she found a way to use love instead of darkness to fuel her magic. So right now, even if her magic is gone, she focuses on her love for them, but also on all that hate and anger she feels for her sister. She lets both contradictory feelings invade her, to give her the strength necessary to complete her task.

_I will save them both_, she repeats mentally as a mantra.

Suddenly, she stops. In front of her, a green dome rises from the ground, a dome through which she can't see anything. She glances at the time switch on the bracelet : it took her less than three minutes to make the trip from Gold's shop. Barely relieved, she removes the boots and grabs them tightly. She doesn't trust her sister enough to let them out of the dome while she's inside, so she keeps her hold on it, and steps forward. She sinks through the shield easily, with no resistance, her breath caught in her throat, her eyes closed, her body anticipating was she's about to face.

When she opens her eyes, she's inside.

* * *

_Another cliffhanger, and a short chapter... Sorry, I couldn't help it or do it another way. So, who do you think Regina has chosen to save first ?_

_I thought Zelena forcing Regina to choose between Henry and Roland would be the hell of a revenge against her. _

_Regina thinks she found a way to counteract her sister's plan, and the seven-leagues boots are working, but... will she really have time to free them ? It won't be easy, I can tell you that, and you will see if they'll all make it alive in the next chapter._

_Also, I'm not very familiar with the Little Poucet but I'm pretty sure the way I described it is not how the boots actually work in the original story. But I wanted to do it my way, and I am no Adam nor Eddy, but they tend to change things in the show. For me, the boots are allowing you to run faster, not to take strides of seven-leagues. _

_Thanks to everyone who is sticking with me despite what I'm putting our favorite Queen and you through ! For the reviews, the fav and the follows._

_EvilRegalPanda : Good to see you don't mind a few cliffhangers ! What do you think of this one ? Do you have an idea of what kid is in the dome Regina just entered ?_

_Guest : Glad to hear that ! Thanks. The resolution of the Zelena issue will be solved quickly, but there will be a few chapters after for closure._

_InkheartQueen : Tu m'en veux pas trop avec ce cliffhanger ? XD Alors dis-moi, t'avais tapé juste dans les idées ou pas du tout ? Ici, le choix est plus simple, tu penses à qui ?_

_And a thought to my secret love :-P who comments my chapters in direct on twitter !_


	13. Chapter 13

Half an hour earlier

He's been trapped here for who knows how long ? He guesses it must not be much than an hour or so, but he can't see the outside, the green shield blocking even the day light.

He's in a cage, hands tied up with very thick iron chains. He tried to free himself, but he couldn't. Zelena told them Regina was the only one able to do so. So he just waits, in silence, keeping the faith that she'll come for him. He looks around again. In front of him is a large time switch, off for now, but with the purpose of showing him how much time he has left to live. His cage is placed on top of several can of gasoline, and there's a few others scattered across the place. He's right in the middle of a wheel, made with a magic wire drawing a circle and sending several branches to the center. To the cans. To him. Zelena said when it's time, the wire will catch fire, and from then he'll have an hour until it reaches him and everything explodes.

He feels anxiety and fear at the idea. He knows only one of them will be saved. It's selfish, but he wishes it'll be him.

Suddenly, there is fire everywhere around. Zelena's game is on. He finds himself terrorized, unable to think anymore, unable to move, his gaze stuck to the flames around him. He's surrounded by a wall of fire, and slowly, inch by inch, it progresses along the branches of the wheel, gaining ground and heading straight toward him.

But then, eleven minutes after it began, his eyes catch a frame behind the fire wall. Someone is stepping through the shield, and he lifts his head, sees her opening wide eyes and almost stepping back with the surprise of what she's facing.

« Mom ! » he screams and his eyes lock with hers. She moves forward but is stopped by the flames.

« Henry ? Henry, are you okay ? » he hears her call and despite the improper situation his heart leaps with joy in his chest because she chose him.

« I'm fine. Zelena locked me up in a cage. »

« I know, I'm coming. »

She assesses the situation. There's fire everywhere -what an irony, since it's her favorite weapon, but it was probably the reason why her sister chose this particular element-, and Henry is on the other side. The time switch hanging upon them indicates 48 minutes.

She tries to find an opening, walks fast along the wall of flames but finds herself back where she started with no other way to step in than just jump through it.

She breathes. She can do it. She closes her eyes and pictures Roland, waiting for her at the barn. She can't dawdle here, she needs to get Henry to safety quickly and go to the little boy. She removes her jacket and drops the boots safely away from the fire, straightens her spine, hands fisting, body tensed with anticipation. She takes a deep breath, thinks about nothing but her son waiting for her on the other side, and jumps.

When she opens her eyes again, she's done it. She's on the other side. She feels a burn on her forearm, but ignores the pain. She gives a quick glance to the bracelet : 44 minutes left.

In a few steps, she's near the cage.

« Mom ! » he calls again and she looks up at him with a smile before escalading the cans on top of which he's locked up, about 15 feet above the floor. She cuts her hand on one of the very sharp metallic edge of the wooden cans, removes her hand quickly but is forced to grab it again hurrily when she almost loses her balance. It's bleeding heavily, and hurting like hell, and her hand slips every time she tries to get a firm hold, but she manages to climb to the top anyway.

When she reaches Henry, she takes the hands he holds for her through the bars, gives him her most reassuring smile.

« You chose me. » he breathes, still stunned.

« Henry, I'll always choose you. But I found a way to save both you and Roland, so I need to be quick. Tell me, what do I have to do ? »

As he shows her the canevas on the cage's door, then his handcuffs, both of them wearing the same lock, she thinks of what she just said. Truth be told, if she'd had to really make a choice, she's not entirely sure of who it'd have been. She just know she couldn't go through it if she didn't save him first, relieving her mind of the sick worries and knowing very well Henry would be more helpful than Roland to find the solution to free him. She feels guilty for her choice, prays that Robin will understand. But Henry doesn't need to know her dilemma, doesn't need to know she couldn't choose between her own son and another child he barely knows, because she's determined to not let any of them die.

She takes a closer look at the thick canevas. It's pierced with a hole large of 2 inches and maybe 4 inches deep. It seems to be the same on the handcuffs. She looks around, but sees nothing to fit the lock. She stares at the bracelet, but she can't even remove it so it's not the key. And anyway, the shape doesn't fit either.

Henry is as clueless as she is. Until his eyes open in realization.

« She said you'd have to use your blood to get us out ! » he exclaims suddenly and she frowns.

« My blood ? How am I sup... »

She stops when an idea strikes her, and she looks down at the wound on her palm, that she'd covered with her sleeves to contain the bleeding. Why not ? It's worth the shot. She presses on the wound to get as much blood out of it as she can and pours it into the hole. The second she does and a drop of blood lands in it, a sudden glow appears, and it keeps glowing brighter and brighter as she fills the lock with her own blood. It's not until it's full that she hears a click. She's barely time to pull back her hand than the lock swings open and she removes the canevas with trembling fingers and pushes the door hurrily, kneeling next to her son and pulling him into a warm embrace, both sighing in relief and heart beating fast in unison.

She doesn't linger though, pulls back and inspect the mecanism keeping him inside the cage. Her sight is blurred for a second, and she blinks several times. There's more smoke every minute, and Henry is coughing already, and she feels tickles in her throat, and her eyes are burning but she shakes her head to focus.

His handcuffs are hold by a chain to the bars of the cage, and the same lock is adorning them. She uses the sharp side of the can they're both sitting on to open her wound deeper, and repeats the same process. This time, the glow is spreading around Henry's wrists, and she understands this hole runs in all the handcuff and is not a dead end. It will take more blood to free him, and she doesn't hesitate, presses harder on her arm to get as much of it out as she can. But as she does so, she starts feeling dizzy, and tired. She draining herself from her blood, she realizes, a good amount of it, and it's weakening her in the process. That must be why Zelena chose this way to free them. She must be hoping that there is a chance she will be so weak at the end she won't even make it out of the shield alive.

When the second lock is full, she frees her son for good, takes his hand and starts coming down the cans. As they reach the ground, she glances up at the time switch hanging upon them and freezes.

25 minutes.

She still has to get Henry out of here, cross the entire town and repeat the same process with Roland. So she doesn't waste anytime, drags her son toward the flames and with one nod from her, they jump through it together. She grabs her coat and boots and a second later they're out, blinking against the blinding day light.

She feels someone clutching at Henry, then another pulling her into an embrace, and she shakes her head, comes back to her senses. She pushes Mary-Margaret away, reaches for the boots and slips into it. She turns to Henry, tucked in Emma's arms, raises a hand to stroke his cheek and he nods, tells her « Go ! Go save him mom ! ».

This time, as she runs across the town, she doesn't feel as light as she was the first time. She feels her strength leaving her, and a surge of panic invades her thoughts. What if she's not strong enough ? What if she can't save him ? What if he dies because she failed ? Robin will never forgive her. _She_ will never forgive herself.

Again, she shakes those ideas aside, and focuses on her goal. Henry is safe, and Roland will be too in a handful of minutes.

She stops as soon as she's close enough to see Robin's worried face. He grabs her as she almost falls, exhausted by her run, short of breath but coughing violently, tears at the corner of her eyes, and for a second she lets him carry her, takes comfort from his warm hold and lips against her temple and the hand he trails in her hair.

But she gets back to her spirits within a few seconds, and gives him a guilty look « I'm sorry, I had to... »

He shakes her head, kisses her forehead. « I know. I understand. »

She nods, promises him to give him his son back, removes the boots quickly and throws them on the floor, looks around and takes one of Robin's men's knife before walking toward the shield.

Robin stops her with a shaking hand on her forearm, pointing at the knife.

« What do you need that for ? »

She shows him her other hand, where the blood from her other wounds is already drying « My blood is the key to open the cage he's trapped in, and this wound is not bleeding enough now. By the way, you should all steps back. It's full of gas and fire in there, and it's ready to explode when the time is out. »

She doesn't let him time to process the information, and steps inside the shield.

18 minutes.

She loses no time, spots the terrified boy in the middle of the wheel of fire, notices the flames are more than halfway to him, and without an hesitation, jumps though the wall of fire and then between the flames that are now almost all the way over him, ignores the pain in her legs and arms as she gets burn in the process.

17 minutes.

She hears him call her name with frantic sobs and fear in his voice, and she tries her best to smile, tells him between two cough fit that it's okay, she's going to get him out of there.

She climbs on top of the cans to reach him, but she feels her sight blur and dizziness take her and she has to stop several times to gather her strengths and fight the exhaustion.

13 minutes.

She asks him to look elsewhere when she cuts her other palm deeply, wincing and letting out a weak groan at the pain. She fills the first lock, opens the cage and settles next to the boy, who immediately jumps in her arms. She gives into the hug even though they're out of time -9 minutes-, because she needs to be remembered why she's doing that, because her body needs a moment to recover and because she knows Roland must be scared to death and it's all her fault.

8 minutes.

She extricates herself from his grasp, reaches for the handcuff around his so small wrists and starts filling it with her blood.

6 minutes.

It's not flowing as fast as she wants, so she grabs the knife again and barely notices the terror in Roland's eyes as she cuts her wrist deeply and the blood starts flowing heavily again.

4 minutes

Finally, it's full and the lock opens. She suppresses the urge to lean forward and closes her eyes for a minute, fights the diziness and exhaustion as she frees Roland, tucks him safely in her arms, covering his head and body with her jacket, hears him coughing hardly against her chest, swallows hard to supress a cough fit herself as they're surrounded by smoke, and starts climbing down the cans as fast as she can, barely seeing what she's doing through the thick fog.

1 minute.

She almost falls when her feet touches the ground, and she forces herself not to lean against the cans, to keep going and get them out of here. But there's smoke and fire everywhere now, so close it reaches her, and her lungs are burning, and Roland's body is heavy in her arms. She turns her back on the cage, and rushes forward, ignoring the excruciating pain running through her body as flames burn her skin from every side now.

* * *

Robin's heart has never beat so fast in his whole life. He looks at the dome, unable to move, unable to breathe, to speak.

He's praying to see Regina's frame stepping out, to see his son's smile and excited eyes when he will jump into his arms. He has faith in her, knows she won't let him down, neither him or Roland. He knows she will do everything she can to get him out of here alive. But she was in such a state when she arrived, he's afraid _this_, might be too much for her, that no matter how strong she is, her body will fail her, and he will end up alone, loosing his son and Regina in the process.

He had hope she would choose Roland first, feels a hint of disappointement at her choice, but he's a father, and maybe he'd have done the same thing had he been in her place. And honestly, he has no right to be mad at her after everything she went through because of him. He knows she doesn't want him to blame himself for the last couple of months, but he can't help it. And knowing she's, despite everything, fighting a hell he can't even begin to imagine, again, to save his own son, makes him love her even more. Because even though fear is eating him alive, he believes in her more than he ever believed in anyone.

She will keep hold on her promise. She will bring him Roland back. She will survive this new challenge, coming out of it stronger than ever.

Emma, David, Emma, Hook and Henry have join him and his men a minute ago, and Regina's son is as tense as he is. Rumple is there too, teleported the Charmings with him, finally decided to come offering his magic in case Zelena showed up. After all, he still holds a grudge against her.

Emma looks at her watch, sees as the seconds pass, and stamps impatiently, whispers for herself « Come on, Regina ! Just get out of there ! ».

A deafening sound startles them all, and they step back as they see the dome explode, its magic broken, the debris of the cans scattered in the air, the blow destroying half the barn in the process. If it wasn't for the magic shield Rumple managed to rise at the last second, they would have known the same fate.

* * *

_So... Yeah, I know, I'm sorry... Or maybe not XD But I'm not sure you're still fans of my cliffhangers now. It's the last one, I promise !_

_I'm kind of dreading your reactions on this chapter, not because of the cliffhanger -I'm already expecting threats and « update ! » XD-, but because it is supposed to be a lot of action and it's not my strongest point. I'd love to know what you thought of it._

_The next chapter will come on friday, because I'm taking off to California on saturday, and I don't know when I will have the internet there, so I may be cruel but I won't let you wait for weeks after a chapter like that. But I have no idea when I will post next, because my first week there will be very busy (but no more than a week though, I think)._

_About the upcoming chapter, it will start back right when this one ended. No time jump. And Zelena will be back !_

_Again, thanks a lot for the reviews and follows._

_OutlawQueen4ever : I must admit, since you were the first one giving you opinion (and thank you, by the way), I was like « Shit ! She's right ! », but when re-reading my chapter, especially the first part, I also remembered that Henry is still a child for me, a 12 years old, (that's why he's hoping she will choose him) despite how grown-up he might act in the show most of the time, and I wanted to show this side of him we barely seen because even when he was captured by Pan, he never understood his life was at stake. Here, it is, and I'm not sure he'd be as brave as he always pretends to be if it really happens. But you really made me doubt my choice !_

_LucyBob : Good call !_

_EvilRegalPanda : Thanks ! You guessed right ;-)_

_BMontgomery : I won't post until friday, but it's only in two days. Is it acceptable enough as a delay ? XD I laughed so hard reading your comment because I thought about the end of this chapter and was wondering how you would react to this one XD_

_Clau 23 : I think I can be even more cruel, as you can see XD Well, I don't know, for me this cliffhanger is the worse of the three._

_Guess : Are you still cool ? I totally get you when you say cliffhanger makes you want to read more. But I know as a reader I also hate them because I have close to zero patience XD But I won't do it again, promise !_

_My secret love ;-) : Do you still not want to kill me ? XD Thank you for the huge review, here and on twitter. So... You were wrong about Regina's choice, BUT like I told you, I hesitated until maybe yesterday. That's why I gave arguments for both of them. I had to ask someone her opinion to help me choose when I first wrote this part of the story, because I just couldn't make a choice. The part in Robin's mind at the end is for you, since you wanted to know what he was thinking, and I agreed when you mentionned it, because I don't talk about it later in the story. I hope you'll like it !_

_And a special thanks to MelindaSkyeMay, because you reassured me when you told me that anyway, there is no good or bad choice between Roland and Henry. It really helped !_

_See you on friday ?_


	14. Chapter 14

After the shock of the explosion, a deep silence settles.

The air is thick with ashes and smoke and debris, the dust slowly falling down to create a thin layer of gray powder on the grass. The atmosphere is hot. Burning. Like a blazing wind whipping their faces.

They can't see anything clearly. It's like a thick fog, disappearing little by little to let them begin to assess the damages.

From what they can see for now, the barn is destroyed. The fundations are the only thing left. There's fragments of the cans and the barn everywhere, scattered all around the field, some of them still flying in the air as they stare blankly ahead of them.

Even Gold's shield was shaken by the power of the blow.

They're not talking, because there's lumps in their throats.

They're too stunned to react.

It's not possible.

It just can't be.

Villains don't win. Never.

There's no way Zelena succeeded in killing her sister. Least of all Roland.

Finally, as the astonishment's phase passes, they find themselves able to move again. Robin takes an hesitant step forward. He just lost everything. His son. His love. In some way, his life too. He's looking ahead of him, trying to catch something.

A form.

A sign.

A sound.

A sound !

Suddenly his senses are sharp and acute, and he lends an ear, waits.

He hears it again. It's weak, but he's sure. He takes several giant steps, walking blinding in front of him, his eyes trying to pierce the thick fog surrounding him.

There again !

He's not walking, he's running. He's running, and suddenly, he sees it. A shadow, lying on the ground.

A body.

Regina's body.

Regina's bloody and burned body.

He kneels next to her, his heartbeat pounding in his chest, his hands shaking, his breath short, but she's still.

Until she's not. But it's not her, he realizes. There's something under her.

Roland !

Without a second thought, he carefully turns Regina on her back, laying her head on his lap, and chokes on a sob as he sees his son raising on his hands, coughing again -oh, how much he loves that sound right now !-, lifting his head up to meet his father's tearful eyes.

« Papa ! » the boy tries, his voice hoarse from the smoke he inhaled, a good layer of it tainting his face. He jumps in his father's open arms, and Robin forgets for a moment the woman's liveless body next to him. He craddles his son's face, holding him tight against his chest, tight, so tight Roland makes a displeased noise when he squeezes too much.

« Mom ! »

Henry's voice brings Robin back to the reality, and he sits Roland next to him, turns his attention to Regina. His fingers stroke her hair, her face, her throat. She's not responding. She's not moving. She's covered with blood, burns and dust, a strand of hair stuck on her forehead with sweat. Both her hands and her right wrist have several deep cuts and drops of fresh blood are still slipping from the wounds. There's burns on her forearms and legs, and her back, he remembers, where the fire ate the tissue of her clothes and reached her skin. He's not sure if she looks as bad as she was two weeks ago in the cellar, or worse, but if there is a difference, it's not by much, and he definitely doesn't like the absence of life emaning from her right now.

Henry has knelted next to him, and is shaking his mother's body frantically, calling her name with a voice slowly filling with strangled sobs as she stays unresponsive and still.

Then Gold steps forward, takes Henry's place, his hands wandering above Regina's body, eyes closed in deep concentration. Slowly, he stops, his fingers on top of her chest, and a flow of blue magic enters her skin, remodeling it, healing her burns, closing her wounds.

Everyone's holding his breath, the silence only disturbed by Roland's small cough fits. Emma's arms are circling Henry's shoulders, her eyes not leaving the woman's frame on the ground. Mary-Margaret is clutching to David's jacket, fear and hope both struggling in her eyes.

Gold removes his hand, and waits.

A violent cough startles them all, and Henry drops on his knees as Robin bends forward, his hands guiding and supporting her as Regina turns to her side, her coughing more frantic. She uses a hand to steady herself, and finally, finally, she opens her eyes.

She meets Henry's relieved face first, and he throws himself into her arms, making her back collide with Robin's front as she stumbles back under the impact. She manages to bring an arm around Henry's waist, but she's more clutching to him for support than actually hugging him. She feels two strong arms surrounding her from behind and holding her tight as she recedes from Henry's embrace. She cranes her neck to turn and look at Robin, blinks several time, still disoriented and confused.

A dry cough takes her again, and when it stops she leans back in his arms, totally spent.

« What did you do, Gold ? » Emma asks, finally turning her look away from Regina.

« She wasn't dead, but close. I just healed her wounds, which much have been caused by the explosion and whatever she had to do to rescue those boys. » Regina weakly raises her palms in front of her to see the perfect blood-covered scar-free skin. « She still needs to be seen by a doctor though, and I can't do anything against the exhaustion you're feeling right now. » he adds, adressing directly to his former student. « There is no other treatment than sleep and rest for that, dear. »

Regina looks up at his -surprisingly- caring gaze, and nods, nothing but gratefulness in her eyes.

« Thank you. » she manages to breathe but it triggers another coughing fit and when it finally ends, she leans her head back to Robin's shoulder, closing her eyes and ready to fall asleep in the minute.

But it was without counting on Roland's body landing on her lap without a warning, startling everyone and making her eyes snap open in a second.

« You saved me, Regina ! » he grins, coughing again and she smiles back, trails a finger on his cheek, wiping off dust and ashes from his face with her thumb.

« You saved both of us. » corrects Henry. When she looks into his eyes, she can see how proud of her he is, and she opens her arms to gather both the boys against her. Despite the exhaustion, despite how weak she feels, nothing can keep her away from holding on to them like a lifeline.

But the happy moment is quickly broken, as a slow and sarcastic applause is heard.

They all turn their head toward the new incoming, and meet a fulming Zelena. She's green. Well, not exactly skin-colored green. But she's raging. The looks she throws her sister could have slay a giant had it been an actual weapon. She doesn't mouth a word yet, just laugh bitterly as she sees some of them gathering to shield her sister from her sight.

Gold steps forward, a finger pointed at her.

« I think you should learn when you're defeated, dearie. » She glares at him. « I suggest you leave, now, before I kick your ass out of this town myself. »

« You think you're more powerful than I am? » she scoffs.

« Oh, I know I am. » he answers calmly, dropping his hand to his side. « And right now, I'm sick of your little games. »

With one flick of his wrist, he sends her rolling a few feet away. He hears her groan in frustration, as she stands up and walks angrily toward him. He shoots another spell, but she deviates it. By the time she's facing him again, Regina is up, not quite steady on her feet, but determined to finish this. She ignores Robin's pleading as she slips between Snow and Emma and roots herself next to her former mentor.

« You should follow his advice » she says, nodding in Gold's direction « and leave now. Because I _really_ don't know what's keeping me from ripping your head off of your body. » she threatens but all Zelena does is laugh.

« Come on, sis' ! You weren't powerful enough when you had all your powers. Look at you right now, you're not even a challenge ! I wouldn't even need magic to crush you with my foot. »

« So that's your answer ? »

Zelena glances between them. She could easily get rid of her sister now. She should, she thinks. But despite her apparent confidence, she knows she can't beat Rumple's magic. On the other hand, why coming that far if it was for giving up at the first occasion ? And if she has to die today, better take her damn sister down with her.

So she straigtens her spine, head high, and says in a steady voice « It is. »

« Very well then. »

Regina glances behind her to make sure everyone is safely away. She notices Emma stayed back, and though they could use her magic right now, she's glad, because it's not her fight. And if she has to die today, Henry will not be left alone.

She rubs her hands together, a smirk on her face, and she knows Rumple must wear the same right now. They've both been waiting for that for a very long time. Her magic is not fully back, but she can feel it slowly grow with the adrenaline cursing through her veins. It may not be enough to defeat Zelena, but with Rumple's help, the odds are better.

At the first attack, he steps in front of her, protecting both of them with his magic. Regina strikes back immediately but Zelena disappears in a green smoke, reappearing right behind them and sending a spell so quickly none of them has time to deviate it and they fall backward, landing on the ground in a thud.

Rumple is up in an instant, and as Regina stands with slower movements, she hears them shoot spell after spell at each other.

She shuts her eyes for just a second, gathering her strength, focusing on what she has to do.

That's when it happens.

She hears Henry's voice in the distance, and Roland's too, and she's not sure if this is real or not until she feels Robin's lips on hers, Emma's hand on her shoulder, sees Snow's comforting smile. She's not sure of _what_ exactly is happening. There's a small breeze brushing against her skin, and it seems that she's suddenly aware of her surroundings, though her eyes are still shut tight. She hears the shoots from Rumple and Zelena, a bird singing across the field, murmurs from her friends, while they're safe and away from the fight, feels the spell's warmth that flies near her head, her feet sinking into the soft ground, the wind playing between the trees's leaves.

Even in her deepest moments of concentration, she's never reached that level of focus. A new feeling builds and raises inside of her.

No ! Not a new feeling ! She knows that feeling ! A four letter word she barely has time to put a name on when images appear in front of her. She sees Henry, and Roland, and Robin, Snow, David and little Neal, her father, Daniel, her mother, TinkerBell, Emma and it's a swirl of emotions and she wants to protect them and hold them and without realizing it her hands are hold straight in front of her, aiming at her sister that she can now locate just by listening to her gritted teeth and frustrated groans.

As she opens her eyes, a white light escapes from her newly-healed palms, and strikes right at Zelena, who shrieks in surprise, eyes wide with astonishment, not believing what is happening. Regina keeps up the flow of magic, reveling in the sudden power she possesses, and in a second they're all blinded and surrounded by that warm white shining light.

When she finally closes her hands and the light disappears, she faces nothing but a bunch of ashes and a proud Rumple smirking at her. She tries to slow down her heavy breath, but as the magic subsides, the exhaustion and tiredness come back at her, and she just has time to see her former mentor's arm catching her before everything goes dark.

Rumple carefully lays her body on the floor, brushes a strand of hair from her face as everyone rushes to them, Snow asking tentatively « What happened ? »

He turns slowly his head toward them, and smiles.

«_ That_, would be true love's magic at its higher level. » He lets them process the information, as Robin steps forward, kneeling face to him and next to Regina's unconcious body.

« Is she... ? »

« No. She just drained the last bit of magic and energy she had to defeat her sister. Don't worry, she'll be fine. But don't be surprised if she sleeps for days after what she just accomplished. »

Standing up, he lets Robin and David take care of Regina, the archer welcoming her in his arm, lovingly dropping a kiss to her forehead as her head takes place naturally against his shoulder, bumping against it with every step. While they starts walking to the road where the cars are parked, Rumple goes to where Zelena was, looking scornfully at what's left of the witch. He hears footsteps behind him, but doesn't move an inch.

« Is it really over this time ? » Emma asks, stopping beside him.

He glances at her, then at Zelena's remains.

« Yes, miss Swan. It's really over. »

* * *

_Did you really think I would kill either Regina or Roland ? Who do you think I am ? XD_

_First of all, I apologize for the english mistakes, especially in the last chapter. Someone (:-P) forced me to re-read it once posted to make me understand what I put you through XD and I saw a lot of them. I'm sorry._

_And obviously, it was Snow and Emma and not two Emma who joined Robin at the barn XD_

_Now, about this chapter... I do not want to see Zelena die in the show, but here I think it was the only way out. I thought of letting her give up on her revenge and leave the town nicely after Rumple's offer, but it wouldn't have fit. It'd have been weird if suddenly she changed her mind after everything she did to kill Regina._

_Regarding Regina's light magic and how she and Roland escaped, the explanations will be in the next chapter._

_I promise, this time, no more threat ! No more life threatening situation ! Regina will wake up ! The next chapters will be a closure to this story._

_Oh, and about what is it exactly that happened to Regina when she uses ligth magic, I just thought of an old show I used to watch (Xena, for those who remember it) and the last episode, when Gabrielle finally succeeds in using all of her abilities. She's like connected, like opened to everything around her, and that's what I wanted to do here. I'm sorry, it's hard for me to write that kind of scenes, language issue, and I know it's not a really great description._

_I expected « update ! » and threats in your reviews, and I was right XD Hope to see you more pleased and less angry with me with this chapter !_

_Thanks for the reviews and follows !_

_SamanthaFreita3 : I feel like a hint of resentment in your review XD I hope you forgave me with this chapter._

_EvilRegalPanda : Thanks ! Glad you liked it !_

_Clau23 : Thanks again for your PM. Are you talking to me now ? Am I forgiven ? Please !_

_JamieOUAT : XD Is this chapter to your liking ?_

_BMontgomery : Well, I was expecting that reaction from you XD Please, don't stop reading ! I promise you I won't be as mean anymore. Or I don't remind being that mean at least XD But Zelena is really gone, so..._

_Guest : Thank you ! I have 16 chapters completely written, so two much more, and I will probably write one more and an epilogue. So 18. Will you stay with me until the end ?_

_My secret love : I know how much you're mad at me for this chapter, and especially for not understanding how hard it was for all of you to read. I hope I soothe you a bit with this one XD And I mostly hope that you're not disappointed with the identity of the person I killed. Because, I'm sorry, but killing Charming ? Really ? I mean, I don't like him, but it wouldn't have bring anything to my fic, and how would I have gotten rid of Zelena ? With rainbows and unicorns and Snow annoying optimism ? XD_

_Next chapter... I have truly no idea when ! No need to ask for an update. I promise I will post as soon as I have internet, but since I won't have it probably most of the week, I won't even be able to see your reviews ;-(_


	15. Chapter 15

_I will have wifi pretty much everywhere I'll be staying in California, so here's a new chapter ! I'm kind of dreading your reactions about my explanations, because a part of it is my interpretation of some scenes from the show, but I seem to be the only one understanding it that way._

_So please, let me know what you think !_

* * *

He enters the room quietly, a bouquet of red roses in his hands. As he reaches her bed, he leans forward, presses his lips to her forehead, murmurs a « Hello, my love ! » in his most loving voice. He drops the flowers on her bed, removes the previous dead bunch from the vase, fills it with clean water, puts the fresh flowers in it and settles it on the tray nearby.

He pulls a chair closer and sits, taking her hand and rubbing it slightly.

He's smiling. This time, the situation is completely different. Zelena is dead -really dead-, there's no new threat to the town, Henry and Roland are safe and sound and recovering from their traumatic experience, and Regina's life is not in danger anymore.

She still hasn't woken up yet, but Whale cleared her from any life threatening's injury and Gold assured them she only needs time to rest and get back her strength. The main reason she's still in the hospital is to keep her feeded and hydrated. All they have to do now, is wait. But she'll wake up.

That's why Robin is relaxed, thumb rubbing the back of her hand, smile on his lips, an adoring gaze watching over her. Every day since she passed out 4 days ago, he keeps coming at 9am and stays until Henry, Emma, Snow or someone else take his seat.

He's telling her they're all incredibly impatient to see her wide awake. Roland keeps asking after her, claims she has to come with them to eat ice creams. Snow is throwing a whole party at Grannys to celebrate the end of this nightmare. And she very well knows Regina is not fond of those, but she's certain her step-mother won't mind this time. Henry requisitionned Emma, Belle and Ruby to clean the mansion from floor to ceiling. They finally discovered where Zelena had hidden all her clothes and belongings, including her car, so they're putting everything in order for her big return. And he, asked Gold for a way to leave Storybrooke safely. He's planning a trip for just the both of them. They don't have to leave now, he assures, because he remembers what she said about not being ready for more yet, and figures she might want to spend time with her boys too. But now, they have all the time they want, and if it takes a year before they can go, so be it.

Sometimes, he stops talking, just watches her. Even in her sleep, especially in her sleep, when he knows she'll wake up, she's beautiful. He watches as her chest moves up and down slowly, regurlarly, with every breath she takes. He feels her pulse in the crook of her wrist, admires her relaxed features and brushes a strand of hair away from her forehead.

He's still contemplative when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Belle is smiling softly, and he answers in kind. He gestures for her to take a seat, and so she does.

« How is she ? »

« Still the same. I know I can't even imagine what she's been through and how exhausted she must be, but I can't wait to see her awake. » he admits, turning his attention back to the sleeping form next to them.

« I understand. But Rumple and Whale are categorical. She will wake up, there's no doubt about it. Just give her time. »

He gives her a small smile, opens his mouth as if about to speak, pauses, then confesses « She's the strongest woman I've ever met, but with what we know of what she did that day, what Henry told us, I'm still wondering how she found the energy to go through it and survive. »

Belle's hand lands on his forearm. « Rumple explained to me that on that day, she fueled her magic not with her anger or resentment toward her sister, but with the love she carries for her friends and family. In some way, you, Henry, Roland, Snow and all those people she cares about, you were the reason she fought so hard and won. There's no way she would have accomplished what she did if it wasn't the purest and honest of loves. »

Robin welcomes the information with a slight nod, but his face falls when he breathes « I just wish she didn't have to go through all of this in the first place. If I had gone after her that night at the diner, she wouldn't... »

« Will you stop blaming yourself for that ! » comes a hoarse and sleepy but autoritary voice and they both jump, turns their gaze toward Regina and Robin is sitting by her side in an instant, Belle standing just behind him.

Her eyes are still closed for now, but she tries to open them, winces against the bright light and brings a hand to protect herself from it. Robin cups her cheek with his free hand, and a strangled chuckle escapes him as he feels her lean into it. He hears Belle informing him she's calling Whale and leaving the room, but his attention is already back on Regina. After a few agonizing seconds, he finally meets her brown soft eyes. She smiles at him, as much as she can since she's just coming back from 4 days of uninterrupted sleep.

Him ? He's beaming. His eyes are filled with unshed tears of joy, his heart beating frantically in his chest. He brings the fingers he still holds to his lips, kisses her palm then leaning it onto his heart.

« Hey, sleeping beauty ! » he whispers. « Welcome back ! »

She brings her other hand to rest on his cheek, traces the line of his jaw with her forefinger before dropping her arm against the soft matress, still exhausted.

« Hey ! » she says back, clearing her throat to fight against the dryness from the lack of use.

« How do you feel ? »

She makes what's supposed to be a shrug, her lashes fluttering and fighting to stay open as she speaks.

« Better than the last time I woke up here, I guess. How long was I out ? »

« Four days. »

She nods, but doesn't have time to say anything more. Belle is coming back with Whale and a nurse, and the young woman has to drag Robin outside when he protests as Whale ask him to wait outside for a few minutes, the time for him to check on his patient.

He asks Belle to call Emma and Snow, tell them the news, bring Henry. He paces while she does. But this time, he's not worried. He's just too excited to wait.

She's back.

She's back, and this nightmare is over, and they finally can have their happy ending.

* * *

Robin comes back during the afternoon, a very excited Roland in his arms, to find Regina's room already crowded. He smiles at the sight, happy to see that finally, she has the family she deserves.

She's sitting straight on her bed, Henry by her side, his hand holding onto hers. Mary-Margaret is on a chair, softly rocking Neal in her arms. Emma and Hook are standing next to David, and Rumple has joined Belle to welcome her former student back.

He catches her smile as she still ignores his presence, as she talks animately with her friends about the past days she missed.

« Regina ! »

Roland squirms in his father's arms, then rushes to her bed as soon as his feet hit the floor. She turns to him, her smile wider, and bends to help him climb on the bed but Emma beats her to it. As soon as he's on her lap, he winds his little arms around her neck, and she hugs him back, eyes closed, inhaling softly the sweet scent of the 5 years old. When he recedes, she meets his big brown eyes shining with the happiness of finally seeing her awake.

After what Roland went through, between believing his mother was back and Zelena's trap, Robin went to Gold, asking if there was a way to erase the last two months from his son's memory. Concerned to see Roland clearly anxious, having nightmares and jump at every sound, he decided it was best if the boy didn't have to deal with the events and went back to his child's innocent life. Robin had been relieved to hear Gold's offer to remove those two months and replace them with new memories, where Marian never happened and Regina had been busy fighting off vilains and got hit in the process, spending the last few days in the hospital, without a price to pay.

The suddenly relaxed features on his son's face as the spell was complete convinced Robin he'd made the right call.

And now, looking at his son happily grinning to a wide awake and smiling Regina, his heart is leaping with joy.

« Are you still sick ? » Roland asks warily.

She chuckles softly, and shakes her head. « No, honey. I'm not sick anymore. »

« So we can go eat an ice-cream ? » he asks hopefully, hands joins in a pleading.

She pulls a curl of dark hair behind his ear tenderly, and gives him a sympathetic smile. « Not now, sweetheart. I'm still very tired, I need to rest for a while. »

He frowns almost comically, as if trying to process the information. He looks a bit disappointed though, and Regina doesn't want that, so she adds hurrily « But as soon as I'm well-rested, I promise you we will. »

He's beaming then, his eyes and mouth wide with excitement and anticipation.

She notices Robin, his body leaning again the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, just smiling at the scene in front of him. She cocks her head and winks, beckoning him closer, and he walks to her, drops a kiss to her lips, another one, until Roland's « Ewww ! » and Henry's « Mom ! » force them to pull back, all the adults in the room chuckling.

He waves a hand in his son's hair, and turns back to the others.

« What were you talking about ? »

Regina knows Roland has lost his memories, and she asks Henry to keep him busy with the Storybook he brought from home, so the little boy won't hear the conversation she knows is coming up.

« Just about how everything is quiet since Zelena is gone. I don't have anything to do at the station, I'm starting to get bored. » answers Emma, shrugging.

« Well, enjoy it while you can, Miss Swan. It won't last long. »

« Probably true. » she admits.

« About the last events though. » David says, turning to Regina « How did you managed to survive the explosion ? It destroyed everything around., we thought you were dead. »

The dark-haired woman shrugs, stroking Roland's head as he's carefully listening to Henry's explanations about his Storybook, oblivious of what they're saying.

« When I managed to free him, » she says, careful not to mention the kid's name « I knew we were running out of time. I was so exhausted I was barely seeing straight. So I just ran blindly ahead of me to put as much distance between us and the cans of gas as I could, but we'd barely reached the shield when the explosion began. As Zelena said, the bracelet opened and released my wrist and my powers, and I just had time to cast a protection spell around us before the blow projected us on the ground. I tried to shield his body with mine, just in case I wouldn't be strong enough to keep the spell on. I guess it must have worked. All I remember is a burning wave of shock, deep pain, hitting the ground and then waking up with all of you around me. »

She smiles at Robin as his hand is stroking her nape gently, and drops a kiss to Roland's forehead.

She suddenly frowns, and turns her attention to Gold « By the way, I'm wondering ! How did I manage to use that amount of magic against Zelena when I had barely half of my powers back ? »

The man smirks at her. « The magic you always used, the powers you developped thanks to your training with me, came from the magic I taught you, from dark magic. But what you used against your sister, was your inner magic. That's why it took you four days to recover. It was coming from you. From the magic you've always had inside you, dormant and waiting to be used. You just needed a trigger to unlock it. Seems that you found it. » he says, nodding toward Henry and Roland. « As you can see, Regina, there's more light in you than you ever imagined. »

« Wait ! » Snow suddenly asks. « You're saying Regina was born with light magic ? »

Rumple nods slowly. « Both you and your sister were born with magic. » he explains, turning to his former student. « The reason she was so natural with it, is because hers was dark. The reason you had so much difficulties to learn from me at the beginning, was that yours, was light. She used her abilities, where you had to change the very nature of who you are. »

« So what ? They were like the yin and the yang ? » Emma comments.

« In a manner of speaking, yes. »

« Glinda ! » Charming breathes, drawing everyone's attention. Before their questionning looks, he recalled the reason why they cast the curse a second time « She said only a purveyor of the strongest light magic would be able to defeat Zelena. We all thought it was Emma, but Regina, you were able to use light magic twice against your sister, and you won every time. »

Everyone drops silent for a few seconds, processing the intel. Finally, Regina lifts her head, looking up at her former mentor. « You knew ? All these years, you knew what I was able to do ? »

« Indeed. »

« And you never said anything ? You turned me into a monster when I could have had another life ? »

« To be fair, you changed your own fate when you chose hate over love after Daniel's death. I just used that to my advantage. It wasn't in my interest to let you know about the goodness you were carrying, and anyway, would you have believed me back then ? » He pauses, and she ducks her head, giving him that point because no, she wouldn't have. « And after you started to change for Henry's sake, well ! I just figured it was better you find out on your own. »

« You really are a bastard, you know that, right ? » she smirks.

« After all these years, I thought you already figured that out, dearie. » he teases, and they exchange a low chuckle because she somehow understands why he did what he did. After the last days events, the last months, after Greg and Tamara, the nearly destruction of the town, Neverland, Pan's curse, the missing year and her sister, she understands more than anyone how far a parent is ready to go for his child.

« Thank you. » she breathes finally, looking up at him again. « For helping me out there. »

« Well, she did kill my son ! » he recalls.

She gives him a sympathetic look, then turns to Henry, who's head is down, staring at the sheets as he stopped his story when he heared his grandfather's revelation about his mother's destiny. Her hand reaches for his cheek, and he lifts his gaze to meet hers, smiles shyly. He misses his father, and almost lost his mother twice. Emma told her how shaken by this whole story he's been, and they agreed to let him stay with Regina as long as necessary for him to feel secure again.

Whale chooses that awkward moment to enter the room, eyes down on a file he's holding, stops to look up at his patient and freezes. Everyone just look at him, silent.

« What is it with you people ? Can't you read ? Not more than two visitors at the same time ! » he exclaims, showing the sign on the door. « She needs to rest ! Come on, hush ! » he walks forward, waving his hand in the air to gesture for them to go.

They want to protest, but Regina's small yawn stops them from doing so. Snow lands a hand on the cover above her knee, rubs softly.

« Call if you need anything ! »

Regina thanks her, thanks all of them, and watches them leave until there's only Henry, Robin, and an almost asleep Roland with her.

As the younger boy closes his eyes and settles comfortably against her when she opens her arms up for him, she notices the looks her son and Robin gives the doctor, and can't help the corner of her lips to tip up.

Whale starts to open his mouth to speak, then raises his hands in surrender. « Okay fine, you can stay. But you better not disturb her ! »

They both smile widely at the other, and each one reaches for a chair, as Regina settles herself deeper against the cushions, Roland in her arms, and closes her eyes.

* * *

_Here are the explanations about the previous chapter. I have no idea how you'll welcome my version of why Regina has light magic, I'm kind of scared actually XD This chapter makes me nervous._

_About Regina's light magic... The « yin and yang » theory is purely mine and made up for this story, BUT, the idea of Regina being a purveyor of light magic settled in my mind since S3B and what Charming is recalling about Glinda's words. The « darkness snuffing out the light » off of Regina in the S4 finale reminded me of that. Because if Emma was the one made of light magic, why the darkness would head straight to Regina. Maybe I got it wrong, I don't know, but no one was able to give me an explanation about it, so... If you have one, I'm all ears !_

_And anyway, I like the idea of Regina being born with light magic :-D_

_Coming up : Regina wants to leave the hospital and go back home, but it's not as simple as she thinks._

_Also, I may have been not clear enough because people just keep asking, but I planned **2 more chapters and one epilogue** for this story._

_Thanks for the reviews (a lot of them, what a pleasant surprise!), the fav and follows ! I really appreciate it and I'm glad to see you're enjoying this story._

_BMontgomery : Thanks, ILY too ! Nice to see you appreciate this !_

_Regal-Hood : Don't worry, I have 3 OQ fics waiting on my computer and another one in my mind, so there's plenty of OQ coming up ;-) I just need to write enough chapters to be able to post them._

_Clau23 : Greenie won't come back in this story, don't worry about it ! And thanks for your review ! Glad to read you liked the chapter ! I really enjoyed writing Regina and Rumple working together, I miss them in the show, they ended up being real ennemy at the end of S4 and I don't think we'll ever go back to the relationship they had before. And there is no real suspense in this chapter, I'm done with the action part, but I hope you liked it anyway._

_SamanthaFreita3 : Glad to hear that XD_

_EvilRegalPanda : It's good to know I made you happy ! That's all I'm asking for ! Thank you !_

_Guest : I actually thought about killing her, but honestly ? Every time I read a fanfiction and Regina dies, I stop reading. I think I just can't deal with her being dead, so I couldn't write it. Sorry about that ! But I agree, it would have been a good end too. About how long my fic will be, I answered above, but I'll tell you in here too : 2 more chapters and an epilogue._

_My secret love : Thanks again for that review ! You know how much I like it ! I'm still amazed the 13th chapter is your favorite. I felt so unsure about it. I know you didn't think I could kill Zelena now, but come on ! We're almost at the end, and I told you the chapter would 'conclude' the main storyline and the rest would be a closure. I was giving you the answer XD But I told you, I'm very good at bluffing XD_


	16. Chapter 16

It's been 24 hours, and yes, she still needs to rest, but she can do that at home. She doesn't need to stay at the hospital, where she spent nearly a month, just to be watched over all day. She wants privacy, a soft bed, real food, and a less crowded place.

And she tells all that to Victor. And to Snow. And Emma.

She's almost yelling and cursing when Robin enters her room, alarmed by the sound of her voice that can be heard from the other side of the hallway.

« Hey hey hey ! What's happening here ? » he asks immediately when he reaches the room.

Regina glances at him, then shakes her head and falls back against the cushions in a loud sigh.

« Would you tell those three idiots I'm perfectly capable to sleep in my own bed ? » she groans, thumb and forefinger rubbing her eyes.

Robin frowns, gives a confused look to the three other persons in the room. Victor is the one answering his silent question « She wants to go home. I told her she's still too weak to stay on her own, but she won't listen. »

« You told me all I have to do is rest ! » Regina snorts, her voice raising as her hand falls flat against the matress and she glares at him. « I can do that at home, where I won't have a whole bunch of nurses and doctors entering my room every five minutes just to ask me how I feel. »

« To be fair, you're spending much more time with your little friends here than with my staff. »

« Well, I like the company better. » she snaps.

« Okay ! » Robin steps in « You two stop that right now ! » He hears Regina's frustrated sigh but doesn't comment. « What if... » he pauses for a second, then continues « She goes back home, but not alone. »

Four pairs of eyes turn to him in surprise.

« What do you mean ? » Snow asks.

« I'll stay with her, and make sure she doesn't overtired herself. And if there's anything wrong or if she doesn't listen, I won't hesitate to bring her back here. How does that sound ? »

Emma raises an eyebrow. « Are you sure you're up to the task ? I mean, we're talking about Regina here. And she clearly is back to her old self. »

« I can hear you, you know ! » Regina recalls almost angrily.

Robin puts his hand on her arm to calm her, and turns to Emma « I am ! I'll be fine. » he assures with a firm nod.

A smile lights up Snow's face. Emma shrugs in agreement. Regina smirks victoriously at Victor. And Victor... Well... After a few seconds, just shakes his head, and gives up.

« Fine ! I'll get the papers ready. » he mutters before exiting the room.

When Robin turns back to see Regina's content face, he gives her a look.

« You do know I won't let you do whatever you want, right ? » he warns, but she smiles innocently.

« I won't have to ! _You_'ll do everything _I_ want for me. » she teases, grabbing his jacket and pulling him down for a thankful kiss. She doesn't let him go, plays with his lips, his tongue, lingers there, until she hears Emma clearing her throat and Snow's small giggle. She barely recedes, keeps her hold on Robin's jacket, and gives them a pointed look while Robin has to suppress a chuckle. « What ? He's the only one who actually supported me here, I'm just thanking him. You have a problem with that, the door is right there. »

Emma and Snow exchange a look, and start heading toward the exit.

« We'll get everything ready for you when you get home. »

« Yeah, you do that ! » Regina snorts but she feels the disapprobing look on Robin's face. She gazes up at him when they're finally alone, lets go of his jacket and shrugs. « What ? »

« You know what. » he says softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, taking both her hands in his.

She sighs deeply, her shoulders sagging, her features softening. « Robin, I want all this to be over ! » she pleads. « I'm getting crazy here ! Not to mention it's a constant reminder of everything that happened. » she mutters, looking away.

He cups her chin, forcing her to lock their gaze.

« Regina, I know things haven't been easy on you. » She gives him a shocked look, so he admits « That's an understatement. » And she ducks her head in approval. « But people are just trying to help you here. »

« But I'm fine ! » she insists, her hands squeezing his for a second and then relaxing. « I'm tired, but fine ! I'm done with all this. »

He looks at her with concerned eyes, and his hand cupping her chin slides to her neck and strokes there. « The nightmares you keep having tell me otherwise, my love. » he points.

Regina drops her head, because yes, he's right. She's been having nightmares since the first day she woke up almost four weeks ago, and she keeps having them regurlarly, almost once a day, mostly during the night, despite her recovery, despite the presence of her friends and family. She never wants to talk about it, because it's too fresh, too painful, too personal. All they know is that she wakes up trembling and sweating and screaming and crying and for a few seconds no one can even touch her without her jerking back, terror written in her eyes. It's only after a few moments, when her racing heartbeat has slow down, and she realizes she's at the hospital and not in the cellar, that she finally accepts the comfort they offer.

They sent Archie to talk to her, and he told them it was normal after what she's been through to keep sequels and be 'traumatized' -though Regina will never agree on that word-. She must work on it though, if she didn't want it to become worse. So he kept coming, three times a week, locking the door behind him and forcing her to talk about it.

She was reluctant at the beginning, not very inclined to go back in that room and relived the nightmare her sister put her through. But she let go at some point. She realized she needed to exorcise her fears and anxiety, and since she stubbornly refused to tell her friends what exactly it was that happened to her, she found in Archie an attentive ear, and a comforting friend. Knowing he wouldn't talk about it with anyone else, wouldn't judge, wouldn't comment or open his eyes in horror, and always would come up with the best advices, helped. But four weeks later, the nightmares are still here, and although he said it will take time to get over it, she can't help but dread every moment she closes her eyes.

« I just want to move on, Robin. » she whispers.

She feels him tug at her hand and she lifts her head to meet his loving gaze. She feels at bit sheepish right now, like she's ashamed by those dreams, this vulnerability she never let anyone see before. He moves closer to her and tucks her head under his chin, his hand sliding down from her neck to rub her back as he feels her relax against him and sigh.

« It will pass. » he assures. « With time, this will only be nothing but a bad memory. In the meantime... » he recedes just enough to look at her in the eyes « what do you say we pack all your stuff, so you can finally come home ? »

Her bright and genuine smile warms his heart, and she breathes a small _okay_, before he stands up and holds his hand to help her get out of the bed.

* * *

David gives them a ride home. Robin is still not acquainted with driving and anyway, Regina's car is at her house right now and she's been forbidden from using it for now.

Robin helps her get out of the car, his hand resting against her lower back as she enters the yard. She's anxious. And it must show, because she's not quite steady on her legs and her steps are uncertain. He rubs her back with his thumb, and she smiles weakly at him. When her hand finally reaches the doorknob, she pauses, takes a deep breath.

She remembers the last time she was there. She remembers the wonderful day she spent with Robin, then Roland, until that fateful moment in the diner. She remembers almost running back home. She remembers feeling alone, and broken, and hopeless. She remembers seeing Marian, and then hitting the wall. She remembers waking up in the darkness, and feeling cold, and wet, and...

« Regina ? »

He startles her and she steps back but hits the palm of his hand. She snaps out of her painful thoughts, shakes her head, closes her eyes. She feels him pulling her against him, and she doesn't fight, burries her head in his chest, fingers gripping his shirt tightly, taking deep breaths to calm the anxiety building up inside of her. She hears the door opening and closing and figures it must be David entering her house to give them some privacy.

« Do you want to leave ? »

She doesn't speaks, doesn't look up at him, just shakes her head, breathes in and out again. Then « Just give me a minute. »

« Okay » he whispers in her hair, holding her close, and she melts in his embrace, lets the soothing path of his hand on her back calm her tensed body and mind. She stays there for a minute, maybe two, before telling herself she's done with the dread. She needs to comfront her fears. So she slowly disentangles herself from his arms, takes a resolute last breath, and looks right into his blue eyes. He nods, and steps aside.

When she opens the door, she's welcomed by a storm rushing in her arms, and she almost loses her balance catching her son. And she just forgets. She forgets about her apprehension, about what happened here two months ago. When her eyes land on her son, smiling at her with all his love, she can't help but run a hand in his hair, and leans in to kiss his cheek, keeping him close. She looks up to meet Ruby, Emma and Snow, standing in front of the stairs, a bit unsure, as if waiting for a verdict or to see if she's as moody as she was at the hospital earlier. She cocks her head in question, but Henry answers for them.

« We took care of the house. We fixed everything, put your clothes in your bedroom, cleaned the house from floor to ceiling. The fridge is full and I promise it's not just pizza and ice-cream » She chuckles and brings him closer. « And I bought those for you » he adds, receding from her embrace and grabbing the beautiful bouquet resting on the dresser in the corridor.

She grins, her smile so wide and bright it reaches her ears. She takes it and brings the flowers to her nose, humming softly and letting out a content sigh. When she opens her eyes, she winds an arm around his shoulders and pulls him in for another hug. « Thank you » she whispers in his ear « They are beautiful. »

He settles against her side as they both face the three women in line in front of them and still silent.

« You shouldn't have gone into that much trouble » Regina says.

« It was nothing, really. » Ruby assures, hands raised in front of her.

« And it was the least we could do. » Emma adds.

Regina doesn't comment, understands what she means, and just nods. After all, aside from Henry, they all fell for Zelena's plan. If it wasn't for the boy's persistance, she'd probably be dead by now.

She feels a hand in her lower back, and turns to meet Robin's gaze. He's smiling at her, leans in to kiss her temple, and she can't help feeling safe and home. Something she missed greately those last two months.

Ruby excuses herself, as Snow and David. They tell her they'll let her enjoy some private time before leaving the house. Regina turns her head to look at Robin and he understands what she's silently asking him. Looking at Henry over her shoulder, he calls the boy's name to get his attention.

« What do you say we go make diner for your mother ? »

Henry frowns, glances between his two mothers, understands something is going on here and his presence is not wished -especially since it's not diner time yet-, so he agrees, hugs Regina one last time before following Robin in the kitchen.

The minute they're alone, an awkward silence settles between the two women, but it doesn't last long.

« Thank you for letting him stay with me, I really need him here. » Regina confesses.

Emma shakes her head, assures her that it's nothing, and he needs her too, and they can take their time. She will pick him up and drop him home from school, spend some time with him in between those moments. But she owes Regina this time with Henry. After everything Regina did for him, she finally understood she never wanted to hurt him, only be his mother, and Henry's protective behavior at the hospital proved them he realized it too.

« Regina, I know I have my part of responsibilities in what happened, bringing back Marian, Zelena or whatever, but » She raises a hand to stop Regina from arguing « if you agree, I'd really like for us to try to be friend. I think it'll be good for Henry, but also for us. You proved yourself more than once, and I... »

Regina steps forward, interrupts her for good this time. « I think it's a good idea. »

Emma is about to give her another argument, but she suddenly stops at the positive answer, eyes wide, clearly not prepared to have Regina agreeing without a fight. « You do ? »

Regina nods, not completely comfortable with the subject, arms crossed over her chest, but keeps going anyway because they need to have this conversation. « Yes. We have to stop fighting each other. You and I know none of us will step back, and Henry made it pretty clear that he wants us both in his life. Maybe when he'll feel better, we can try to work out an arrangement ? »

« That sounds... fine. » Before Regina lack of answer if a simple nod, Emma understands the ice between them is not totally thawed yet, and she steps forward to the door. « I should go. Do you need something ? I can bring you Roland if you want. »

« No, thank you. John will drop him off before diner. »

When Regina finds herself alone in the hallway, she sighs deeply but a smile appears on her face. Those last months, even years, may have been a real hell to live, but things are beginning to be better. With everyone.

She walks in the kitchen's direction, careful not to make any noise, a tender gaze looking at Henry and Robin, both focused in their task, talking, giving instructions or helping the other, and she leans against the doorframe, watches them work together as they ignore her presence.

It feels good, having them here, getting along, being there for her. It feels like she finally has a real family, people who care about her because they love her, people who enjoy spending time with her, who want to protect her.

Speaking of being protective...

Robin catches her frame leaning against the door, and smirks, wiping his hands on a towel and walking to her, Henry's eyes raising from what he's doing to look up at her with the same face.

« I think the doctor mentionned resting, my love. »

She gives him a look, but leans into his arms when he winds them around her waist.

« I'm watching you and my son cook me diner, this is resting for me. » she argues, but he shakes his head, chuckling, forcing her to step back as he takes a few steps forward.

« And the reason I'm here is because your definition of resting is different than his. »

« Well, he's an ass. » she mutters, understanding Robin will stay true to his words and won't let her do whatever she wants.

« Humm... » he murmurs into her ear, kissing her neck as she winds her own arms around his. « Maybe. But you look tired, and diner won't be ready right away. Why don't you lay down a bit ? »

« Robin... » she pleads, but he'll have none of it.

« Regina. » he answers firmly. « I'm pretty sure if we keep you with us in the kitchen, you will start taking things in hand, and overworking yourself. »

« Did Henry tell you that ? » she questions, knowing very well from who Robin holds this information.

« He did mentionned that the kitchen is your sanctuary and when you start cooking there is no stopping you, so _we_ decided that we're not taking any risk. »

She raises an eyebrow. « We ? You and Henry ? You're teaming up against me ? »

He nods with a mischievous smile, pecks her lips, gives her the remote, and settles her on the sofa. « Relax, my love. We are taking care of everything. » With another kiss to her brow, he leaves her, speechless but smiling.

She's not use to be taken care of, even after all this time at the hospital. _Especially_, after all this time at the hospital. She wants to be herself again, wants to go back to work, drive her son to school, go on a date with Robin, have fun with Roland, snicker at Mary-Margaret's annoying endless hope, fight with Emma -because yes, even though they agreed to work together and not against each other, they are who they are and there will be fights-. But as she's thinking of that, she feels her eyelids becoming heavy, her head falling on the back of the couch as she's curled up at one end of the sofa, and she realizes Robin is right. She is tired, and whether she wants it or not, her body is screaming at her to let go.

* * *

She's awaken by the ring of the doorbell, and she jumps on the couch, barely makes out Robin's « I'm coming ! » in the foggy state she's still in. When she opens her eyes, Henry is knelt in front of her, finishing to settle the diner on the coffee table. And he knows very well she never allowed him to eat here, but he smiles at her, and she can't find it in herself to disappoint him. So she tilts her head to the side, beckons for him to join her, and he does, kisses her cheek as she weaves a hand in his hair, whispering a thank you in his ear, just before a very excited little boy runs toward them, his father following him.

The diner is filled with animated talks and plans for the next days, sleeping arrangements for the boys and promises of ice-creams and afternoon in the park whenever she'll be allowed to go.

As she takes in the 3 persons around her, Regina's smile has never been deeper and genuine, and she finally begins to think that yes, maybe, despite everything she did in the past, she's finally allowed to be happy.

* * *

Hey ! Sorry for the wait, but this chapter was far from being ready, and I was very busy travelling this week, so I haven't had the time to write. But I'll try to be faster for the next ones, I promise !

About this chapter... I'm still not sure about the second part, because I'm not used to write nice, happy and gentle scenes XD I prefered writing Regina yelling at everyone. What do you think ? (you're allowed not to agree with me XD)

I know it feels like an end, but there is one chapter and an epilogue coming up, so stick with me ! In the next chapter, I will write the days/weeks following the last scene from Henry, Robin, Snow and Regina's POV. Each one will have his own part and I will try to focus on one specific moment for everyone (not completely ready yet so it might change but it is my first idea of the chapter).

Thanks again for the review, fav and follows. It's amazing to see this story keeps having them even though we're close to the end.

Guest : Thanks ! Nice to see you loved it. I was quite nervous about why she has light magic but it seems that you're all welcoming the news pretty well :-D I didn't want Regina to have light magic just because of her love for Henry, Roland and Robin, I wanted more than that because she wasn't evil when she was a child. They were just the trigger.

EvilRegalPanda : Thank you ! I want that too so badly, it feels like they totally forgot about it. I kept hoping for every episode but... I'm praying that we'll know more in S5 ! Especially with that darkness going after Regina and not Emma to « snuff out the light ». I want an explanation to that !

BMontgomery : Thank you ! Here for more sweet. It feels weird for me, I'm not use to too much good time without a villain ruining everything XD I hope you'll like it anyway.

SuckiWookie : Halleluiah ! I wasn't the only one noticing it ! My friends told me I was making things up, that's why I wasn't sure about it. I agree with you about the show, especially when they made Hook say to Emma « You defeated Pan, you defeated the wicked witch ». I was like « Uh... Have we been watching the same show ? » Thank you !

MelindaSkyeMay : Thank you very much for coming back !About Cora... I actually didn't think of it this way, but more like Zelena was a great evil, and they needed a 'cure'. So Regina happened to destroy her (like Dorothy was supposed to be in Oz but what they did with it was a real stupid mess if you want my opinion, because she actually never did anything). I don't have a specific example in mind, but I'm pretty sure it's been done before, two siblings being antagonists. That's why I had the idea. I think I might have seen something similar one day. Also, Regina's father is not a jerk, but a kind and loving man, even if he never stood up for her, so unlike Zelena she didn't have just 'bad' blood in her veins. About the explosion... Yeah, I know. I struggled a lot with this part, couldn't find a way to make it better. Sorry about that :-S Glad to see you like my storylines :-D You have no idea how I wrecked my brain to come up with them XD.

Aelynd : Hey ! Thank you for the compliments and for reviewing even if it's difficult for you. I am really glad to see you enjoy this fic so much. I still have a chapter and an epilogue planned, but after that this story will be over. I have other fics to come or requested, and I need to work on them too.

Thanks again !


	17. Chapter 17

Robin

The next few days, Regina splits her time between her bed and the couch in the living-room. Robin refuses to let her do anything, takes care of Henry and Roland -who moved in with them for the time Regina needs help-, of the groceries, the meals, even the laudry. He learned more about this new world and its technology in a week while taking care of her house than in his whole time in Storybrooke.

When Henry is back from school, he usually takes Roland to the park, or goes to the camp to see his men, giving Regina some space and alone time with her son, and allowing his own a special moment with his father, easing the transition for the little boy who came back to smiles and peaceful nights since Gold changed his memories. It's not easy at first, for any of them, leaving their tents in the forest for a luxurious mansion with an incredible number of new items to discover, having more than just the two of them to think of, but they manage, find a certain routine after a week, and Robin can witness the growing relationship between Regina, Henry and his son. More than often now, Roland ends up teaming up with them against him, and if he feels a hint of pain at the change, he's secretly glad Roland found in Regina some of the mother he never had -because, let's be honest, even if Zelena gave the change for a while, she wasn't a mother-.

When he comes back with the little boy after their usual time together, he often is greeted by the sight of mother and son curled up on the couch, working on Henry's homeworks. When they're almost done, Roland is joining them. The other times, he's either happy to help his father with house tasks -something Robin will never understand, how can you like cleaning a house at only five ? Or at all ?-, or playing on the ground under Regina's care, with the new toys he purchased for him with Henry's help.

He moved in temporarily, but by bringing Roland with him, the evenings are always filled with happy talks, laughs and games. He realizes then how wrong he has been from the beginning to choose 'Marian' in the first place. What he has with Regina now, he would never have found with her, even if it has really been his wife who was brought back from the past. When he thinks about it now, he realizes that when he discovered who Marian really was, he felt betrayed and shocked, yes, but that weight in his chest and twist of his guts he always had while thinking about his dead wife were not there anymore. Regina was in all his thoughts, in his mind, and in his heart. He moved on, and this new land, this new woman, this new family, are his present and future.

On the first night, he logically heads for the guest room, and she doesn't stop him. He's not hurt, understands, she needs time, and he needs time too. If they want to rebuilt a strong relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, he can't push her limits. It goes like that for a couple of days, until, on the third day, he is awaken by screams in the middle of the night. Without a second thought, he runs to her bedroom to find her sitting straight on her bed, sweating and trembling. He hears noise behind him, turns to meet two very sleepy boys up, one with a concerned face, the other totally confused.

« Henry, go in your room, I'm taking care of it. » he whispers firmly.

« But... »

« Go back to bed ! » he insists « You too, Roland. » he adds, looking down at his son who took a step forward.

« Is Regina okay, daddy ? » the little boy asks, rubbing his eyes.

« Yes, she is. But she will be sad if she learns she woke you up, so you have to go to sleep, okay ? » Roland nods and walks back to Henry's room, but the young teenage boy gives him a stern look, that Robin chooses to ignore. « She doesn't need you to see her like that, Henry, and you know it. » He sees the hurt on the boy's face at his inability to help his mother, but he seems to understand, and reluctantly takes a step back, before disappearing into his room and closing the door.

Sighing deeply, Robin enters Regina's bedroom but doesn't move closer. He knows what to do. He's grown accustomed to this. Her nightmares are less frequent, less hard and violent, but they are still here, and he assisted to enough of them -most of them, actually- to know exactly when she will allow him near. So he just waits by the door, his heart aching at seeing her struggling to take control over her treacherous mind, closing her eyes to focus, hands fisting the sheets, breath heavy, tears still rolling down her cheeks, body still shaking with strangled sobs.

When the sobs subside, he knows she's ready, so he moves forward carefully, sits on the edge on the bed, and as usual, she just snuggles against him, and burries her face in his neck, never talks about it, and he just holds her in silence until he feels her asleep against his chest. He lies her down on the bed, his fingers tracing the outline of her face, her forehead, cheek, jaw. She's calm now, but he still can see the tensed lines of her features, so he keeps doing that, trails his fingers softly through her hairs, watches over her until she's more relaxed under his touch.

And even when she is, he can't bring himself to leave her, never has the other times. So he glances around, spots a chair on a corner, brings it next to her bed, and closes his eyes.

He wakes up to the sound of the water flowing in the shower, and it takes him a moment to realize he's not in his bed, but his body is quick to remind him where he slept, and he gets up groaning, a hand kneading the sore spots in his neck. When he's about to leave the room, she gets out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, and he's not certain how to react, because she for sure is not ready for what his mind is thinking of right now.

So he just smiles at her, and hers is weak, sheepish, just like the ones she always has after those nights.

« I'll go make breakfast. » he says and she nods, before stepping forward.

« Robin ! » she calls softly. He waits for her, lets her take the lead, and she walks to him, a hand landing on his forearm as she kisses his cheek softly.

« Thank you. » she murmurs, and he nods, brings a hand to hold her chin, nuzzles his nose against her forehead, then kissing it, receding to look at her in the eyes.

« Anytime. »

An hour later, Emma has picked Henry up for school and Roland is busy watching a cartoon with Regina. But while he's cleaning the kitchen, he sees her pass the door, and he stops what he's doing.

« Is everything alright ? »

She's twisting her fingers nervously, but nods, and takes a seat at the counter, silently asks him to join her, and he does, takes place next to her. She links their fingers, grips them, looking at their join hands for a moment before meeting his questionning eyes.

« Would you mind staying with me during the night ? »

He furrows his brow, and she looks pained by his reaction, but it's not like this. He's surprised, didn't expected it so soon, though he knows perfectly it doesn't mean more between them.

« Of course, but I thought... »

« It's just... » she cuts him, and she's not totally at ease with that, and he hates that he's partly responsible for her not trusting him completely anymore « I never know when it'll happen, and I need you when it does. I know Henry and Roland heard me last night. If you're already here, I can put a spell on my bedroom's walls so the boys won't hear my... » she suddenly stops, and he knows she still doesn't accept that weakness she's powerless to hide, so he brings her hand to his lips, drawing her eyes to look at him, and he feels her squeeze his hand when he says « I understand. If that's what you want, I'll be there. »

From that day, he spends his nights sharing her bed, but never, until she tells him she's ready, her body. He just holds her hand until she's asleep, looking at her, tracing soothing path with his thumb in her palm or on her arm. It takes him time to fall asleep everytime, because it hurts, being so close and yet so far. She's been more distant since they left the hospital, and it pains him. She's warming up to him little by little, closes the gap between them slowly every day, but he still feels it, the doubts, the lack of trust, the tiny light in her eyes when she looks at him that tells him they're still miles away from a full recovery.

Whale comes by every other day, and after a week she's autorized to get out for a short time. She jumps on the occasion, request to spend some time to the park with him and the boys, and her smile that day is brighter than the blinding light of the sun on a summer day.

He watches her play baseball with Henry, push Roland on the swing, laughing and having fun and _living_, and when they come back home, she's exhausted and drained and spent, but she's happy, genuinely happy, pink cheeks and a smile from ear to ear, and she crawls into her bed for an hour after kissing each and everyone of them, reappearing for diner with a fresh face and that wonderful grin still plastered on her face.

* * *

Henry

He moves back in the very day she comes back from the hospital. He will never admit it to anyone -though he knows both his mothers at least are well aware of it-, but he's been more shaken by the last two months's events than he thought he would be. So when Emma told him he will be staying with Regina for a while, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Ever since, Henry has spent most of his time out of school at home with his mother.

He's catching up the time they missed since Emma entered their lifes. They talk, watch tv, read his favorite Storybook or comic books, and work on his school work. During his time with the Charmings, he forgot how bossy his mother could be when coming to that. This time, though, he finds her more comprehensive, more patient, more helping. He knows she enjoys those moments with him, and he's not sure if it's because she's afraid he might decide to leave again, or because of everything that happened, or maybe even both, but she's less strict than she used to be, more open, more easy to talk to.

« Come on, Henry, you know the answer to that ! » she encourages.

He scratches his head, frowns, biting the tip of his pen, unconsciously leaning against his mother, only realizing it when he feels her lips on his temple. And suddenly the answer is there, he understands the problem, and starts writing, looking up at her to find a proud smile on her face.

« You see ? I knew you didn't need me to solve that problem. »

He smiles widely at her, at the confidence she has in him, at her soft tone, her warm smile, and he puts his pen and book aside for a second, switching on the couch to face her fully.

« Who are you and what did you do to my mom ? » he questions teasingly, and she answers his smile, her fingers stroking his cheek.

« She met a very special boy who made her realize she wasn't on the good path. He taught her a lot. » she says softly.

« Well, I loved her, but I like this one better. »

He sees as she's really touched by his words, eyes teary, kissing his forehead and bringing him close even if he's alrealdy snuggled against her. « I prefer this one too. » she confesses.

For a moment, they forget about homeworks and math problems, as he wraps his arms around her waist and rest his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes when she starts rubbing a hand on his back.

He missed that. He missed her. It's almost like when he was a toddler, following her around everywhere in the house, making her jump when suddenly going out of a hiding spot and laughing when she was swinging him in the air, watching her cooking pancakes for breakfast, feeling her soft hand on his forehead when he was burning with fever, cuddling with her for hours, crawling in her bed after a nightmare. He doesn't know how he could have forgotten all that.

« Are you alright, sweetheart ? » he hears her asks.

He holds her tighter, nods and says « I just missed you. »

He feels her smile, really feels it, and the hand running through his hair lands on his neck and she recedes just enough to be able to look at him in the eyes.

« I missed you too, Henry. But I'm here now. And I promise you, I'm not going anywhere. » He's about to answer that he knows that, but she cuts him, keeps going « I know you had a really hard time dealing with everything that went on those last weeks, and I think it might have helped you realize a lot of things but... » She smiles, taps his chin with her forefinger « I don't want you to keep worrying about me. My sister is gone for good, and I am home, with you, and I'm fine, Henry. I'm really fine. And even if it was just you and me, even if Roland and Robin weren't around, I would still be incredibly happy, because I have you, and you're everything I need. Don't you ever forget that, okay ? »

He can't bring himself to say something after that, can't break this moment, this closeness they're sharing, so he nods, kisses her cheek, leans his head back on her shoulder, closing his eyes to appreciate that moment even more.

« I love you, mom. »

Her hand is on his forehead when she answers softly « I love you too, my little prince. And I'll always be here for you, whether you want me or not. »

They share a small laugh, but fall silent for a few more minutes, until she reminds him with a teasing voice « You know, the Evil Queen might be gone, but you still need to finish your homework. Better do it now, don't you think ? »

Sighing softly, he sits straight in the couch, opening his book on half his lap half his mother's, grabs his pen, and get ready for another painful math exercise.

Despite her usual mask, he can see she's still struggling with her demons, with everything she went through and refused to tell him. He hears her that day, when she wakes up in the middle of the night. Robin hasn't let him or Roland in her room but he remembers how she's been the only time he saw her during on of those moments. He remembers the fear in her eyes, the panick, the despair. He never hears her again after that night, but figures she must have enchanted the walls or something because that's when Robin moves into her bedroom. And he knows, from the way they are in the house, that things are not as easy between them as they pretend they are.

He knows his mother and Robin are back together, they were already when she was at the hospital. But he also knows despite the smiles and kisses and nice talks and gentle touches, that it's not exactly how it should be. He may have never been in love, but his grand-parents are in love, and it is true love, and he lived with them long enough to be able to understand that something is definitely off between his mother and Robin. They are not those persons from the shed, the shy, happy and slightly embarrassed single mother he almost had to force to reveal the identity of her new boyfriend to her only child, the confident and smiling man finally meeting the young man he heard about for over a year. They're different, they're broken, but slowly rebuilding.

And one day, it changes. One day, weeks after they moved in, suddenly, he sees on his mother's face that shy smile she gave him on that day, the sparckle in her eyes when she looks at Robin from under her lashes during the meal. From that moment, he knows that whatever was wrong between them, is right again.

He is accustomed to Robin and Roland's presence now. The little boy has forgotten everything of what happened during the last two months, but at least it's a good excuse not to bring up the subject again. It's a way to forget, to move on. For the time being, they settled a small bed in his bedroom, so Roland is sharing it with him, but he doesn't mind. He doesn't know the extent of his and his mother's relationship, but she is happy to have him around, and he doesn't want anything else but that. Also, having more than two plates on the table for diners is great, and they don't get bored, they keep her busy, they keep her from thinking about everything that happened, they keep her from forgetting how loved she is now, that she doesn't have to be alone anymore, they're here, and they're not going anywhere.

* * *

Snow

She comes by three times a week. Not more, she wants to let Regina and her newfound family some privacy. But she brings food whenever she can, helps Robin to deal with the house tasks, takes Henry and Roland out when she feels like Regina and Robin could use some privacy.

She doesn't ask questions, lets Regina talk when and if she wants to, sharing less and less about her doubts and fear, and more about this happiness she's so not used to. She's surprised to hear her step-mother not question it, not being frightened by the possible lost of those three men that entered her life, but just accepting it as it comes, day after day, not expecting much than what she has, enjoying it, being content and she finds her so different, almost as if the young girl who saved her all those years ago was back. But the young girl is long dead, burried somewhere in the Enchanted Forest with her first love, and this is Regina, this is a grown-up woman who made mistakes and went through hell more time than anyone and came back, and she indeed has the most resilient heart, she indeed is the strongest woman in town, and Snow is so glad to see her accept all the good that is in her and finally happening to her without a flinch.

They became close. They will probably never be best friends, but they are friends, they are family, a real family without trust issues now, without grudge, without resentment and vengeance and hate. Whenever she needs an advice, she knows she can go to her. Her wisdow has grown so much she finds herself quite impressed.

She throws a party to Grannys to celebrate, as soon as Regina is well enough to come, and if the woman is first reluctant to be the center of the attention, she shows up with a wide smile and a touched gaze at the number of people coming to greet her.

Remembering her own welcome back party years ago, after she and Emma managed to come back from the Enchanted Forest, and how aside from Henry, Regina had been alone and broken and falsely accused of murder barely two days later, she realizes how much the situation has changed.

Regina is spending most of her time with her three boys, but she's talking with her, and Emma, and Tinkerbell, and Ruby, and Archie, and -surprisingly- even Leroy. She's smiling, all the time, and is another woman entirely.

Cocking her head to the side, watching her with a soft gaze, Snow thinks that after everything, Regina earned every little piece of happiness that is finally within her reach.

« So... » she starts slyly « Leroy ? » Snow questions with a smirk, and Regina shakes her hair in despair.

« He asked me if I could release some money to built a golf course. »

Snow chukles at the idea, sharing a smile with Regina, before saying on a lighter tone « I'm glad to see you like this. »

Confusion is genuine on Regina's face when she asks « Like what ? »

« Like this. » Snow repeats, tilting her chin toward her step-mother. « Smiling. Happy. Not alone. It suits you. »

Regina tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, shrugging « It's good to have a reason to smile. Or multiple reasons. » she adds, looking at Robin and Henry in an animated conversation a little further, catching the sight of Roland running to her with open arms.

She lifts him up immediately, settling him on her hip, her wide smile echoing his.

« Hey you ! Are you having fun ? »

He nods eagerly, and she removes the traces of chocolate at the corner of his lips. « And you seem to appreciate Grannys's brownie apparently. »

« It's super good ! » Roland exclaims « Daddy let me have three pieces. » he says proudly, and Regina's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, glancing at Mary-Margaret who winces knowingly.

« Well I think it's enough for tonight, honey. We don't want you to be sick, do we ? »

The little boy makes a disappointed face, but agrees anyway, kissing her cheek and squirming in her arms to be put down, telling her excitedly that he's going to play hide and seek with Little John.

As soon as he's disappeared in the crowd, Regina and Snow exchange a knowing look, and the young woman tells her, smirking « I know someone who will regret to have a sugar-loaded kid at already 8.30pm. »

« And having to deal with the likely stomach-ache that his son will have in a few moments. At least maybe he will understand why I always say no to more than one piece of cake. »Regina answers, rolling her eyes but smiling anyway.

Snow crosses her arms on her chest, searching for Regina's gaze, who is still on the outlaw at the other side of the room.

« Are you two getting better ? »

Regina draws her eyes to look at her, nodding. « Yes. It's not perfect, but we're working on it. But going from living alone to having a toddler, a teenager and a man at home can still be a challenge sometimes. » she confesses. « Especially when they all work against me every time I'm trying to take care of something by myself. »

« Come on, Regina ! I know you love it ! »

The woman can't contain her smile very long, and admits with shining eyes. « I must say I do. It's nice to feel like you're a part of something bigger, to have a family, people who care about you. »

« And you know we're here for you too now, right ? All of us. » Snow says, gesturing toward the room.

At her surprise, Regina puts a hand on her forearm, squeezing gently. « I know. Thank you. »

As she's about to keep going, her name is heard from behind Snow, and both women turn to meet a slightly embarrassed Emma, walking to them.

« What is it ? »

« It's Roland. He's sick, he was throwing up when Robin asked me to call you. »

Regina sighs and closes her eyes, shaking her head. She takes a step forward, looking at Snow. « What did I tell you ? » and the young woman's answer is a low chuckle and a sincere _good luck_.

The woman disappears in the crowd, and Snow's gaze follows her even until she can't see her anymore.

Her daughter's eyes are on her when she turns to her, and there's a silent question on her face that she finally verbalizes « Who would have guessed that Regina would change so much, right ? »

« Yes. She's come a long way. I'm really proud of who she is now. »

* * *

Regina

Being surrounded by laughs and noise and children running in the stairs is something she wasn't used to anymore. But she loves it, and quickly grows used to it again.

It's exhausting though, and the first days she has trouble keeping up the rhythm, finds herself yawning and her eyes closing in the middle of a game with Roland, and Robin or Henry have more than once been there to almost force her to lie down in her bed to get some rest.

Being taken care of is also something she has to deal with. It's difficult to let go and accept not to be the one giving orders, but after waking up screaming in the middle of the night, she had to swallow her pride and ask Robin to be here for her.

Truth be told, he's almost always been there during her nightmares, but being at the hospital and at home is not the same. He may have not moved in permanently, but they are living together, and raising their children together, and it looks like a family, and she's glad but sometimes it's too much. Not the kids. The relationship. She's not totally at ease with him now that the intimacy is here, and at first she's distant, tries to balance her need to be in his arms with her incapacity to allow more than chaste gestures and kisses. He's struggling with it too, she can tell, even though he's not complaining and always understanding, but it pains her, what she's doing to him, what her mind refuses to let them do.

The first night, he shares her bed, she feels like they are not connected anymore. His loving gaze, gentle touch, kind goodnight kiss, help her remember they're still together, they're fighting to get better, they're trying, and every day is a new ordeal but she slowly feels herself opening up to him again, giving him more, receiving more, but there are still awkward moments, and trying as much as she can, there is nothing she manages to do to avoid them.

She talks about it with Archie, who keeps coming to see her even now that she's home and the threats are gone.

She will never admit it to anyone, but he's helping a lot. With her changing so much, they developped a new bond, and the respect is mutual, and the trust too, and the smile she gives him everytime he arrives for their sessions is nothing but honest.

He tells her she's doing a lot of progress, and things will settle with time, she has to be patient. He asks her to voice her feeling for Robin, to him, in the privacy of her office where they lock themselves during those sessions, to confess what she really feels for the man, and she tries, struggles to find her words, stumbles when she opens her mouth, because she knows very well the answer but she's not ready to admit it yet. So he tells her they'll keep trying, and the day she will manage to say those three words hanging upon her lips, she will be ready to move forward.

And she does as he says, fights every day to work on her relationship with Robin, thinks of everything in him that make her shiver, and she gets there, slowly, gaining more ground every day. Until, that day, almost six weeks after they moved into her house.

He brings her flowers when he comes back from his usual walk with Roland, and it's not the first time he does, but today she feels a rush of heat in her, a sensation that hasn't been there in a long time, and she sees him frown and tilt his head curiously when she looks at him like _that_. It's been three days since she finally succeeded in saying to Archie what she feels for Robin, but it's the first time she really feels the change in her.

Henry's homework are finished, so she asks her son to keep an eye on Roland while she's talking with Robin, turns the tv on to keep the boys occupied, gets up and grabs Robin's hand, leading him upstairs, in her bedroom, locking the door behind them and he's still silent, confused, clearly surprised when she winds her arms around his neck and pulls him again the door, kissing him hungrily.

He answers by lifting her up from the ground, and her legs wrap around his waist, and when he lays her down on the bed, she lets him, keeps her hold on him.

He's careful, afraid to push her too quickly into something she may not be ready for yet, but she encourages him, confirms that he didn't misread her, she wants this, she wants him. They're going slow though, take their time, so she can stop things if she feels the need too. And she does, several times, asks him to wait for a minute, struggles to keep the fear and the images away, but always comes back to him, her love for him finally stronger than the scars her captivity let in her brain.

She knows the kids are downstairs, and waiting for them, so she doesn't close her eyes when she's lying against him afterward, raises on her elbow to look down at him, and this time she's ready, she means it, she's not afraid anymore.

« I love you, Robin. »

His surprise is genuine, because making love with her was already unexpected, but her confession brings a wide smile to his lips, and he brushes the back of his fingers on her face, an adoring gaze meant just for her. « I love you too, Regina. »

From that moment, she can let go of everything that kept her away from him, and if she was happy before, she's over the moon now, her heart beating fast and strongly in her chest at the sight of the three men in her life.

She knows Henry has noticed. She saw him look at them with a caring gaze and a smirk when, after that day, her behavior and Robin's toward each other changed radically.

She is surprised to see him bring up the subject one night, as she's tucking him in, Roland being already sound asleep in his little bed on the other side of the room. « Mom, are you and Robin better now ? »

She eyes him curiously, but he's looking at her softly, and she smiles, her hand brushing the hair away from his face.

« Yes, sweetheart. We are. »

« So _you_'re feeling better ? » he asks hopefully and she chuckles, bends to kiss his cheek and smiling widely at him.

« I am. I feel happier than I've been in a very long time. »

He grabs her hand, squeezes tightly, breathes a satisfied _Good_ that makes a surge of love for her son wash over her. « I'm glad. You deserve it. »

She feels tears in the back of her eyes, but she blinks them back, doesn't want to start crying after assuring her son that she's worked through her issues.

« Thank you, Henry. It means a lot to me. »

She kisses his forehead, is ready to leave the room, but he has another idea in mind, winds his arms around her neck and hugs her tight, wiping the remnants of her doubts away, showing her how much he means what he said, and when he pulls back he's grinning at her, and kisses her cheek, tells her he loves her, and he's happy to know she finally has everything that she wants.

When she joins Robin on the couch that evening, she's still smiling broadly, and she curls up against his side without an hesitation, her head finding its right place against his shoulder.

She starts to work again, asks Mary-Margaret or Emma to bring her what she needs from her office. She's going slow, only does what is necessary, but it's good, keeps her busy, makes her feel like herself even more. She enjoys it, and sometimes Robin has to remind her that the diner is ready, and they're waiting for her, and then she closes the books to follow him in the dining-room, her heart full of love at the sight in front of her.

When she decides to go back to her office everyday, two months after she returned to her house, Robin and Roland move back to the camp, as planned since the beginning. She's still having nightmares, but she can handle them now, and she is totally able to take care of herself, her son, and her house. She is in a good shape, using her magic again, driving the kids to school -Robin agreed to sign Roland up to go there-, and they're in a good place, the four of them. Henry starts going back to Emma's from time to time and it's giving her and Robin some time to enjoy alone. But they discover soon that it is not enough. The house is empty, and they miss each other, badly. Roland starts asking for Regina and Henry more and more often even if he sees them several times a week, and Henry complains about how the mansion is too quiet now. Even Robin and Regina have to accept the evidence. They are a family. In those two months together, they became so close that the separation is unbearable. So they move back in. Permanently this time. And when Regina gives Robin the spare set of keys that is now his, and she looks over at their son, in an animated conversation about what movie they're going to watch tonight, she feels it. A new feeling. A good feeling. For the first time in years, in decades even, she has found all the missing pieces of her life. For the first time, she feels at home in the world.

* * *

_I know, I wasn't as fast to update as I said I would, but I struggled a lot with this chapter, especially with Snow and Regina's parts, more than I thought I would. And as you can see, it is really long, I think the longest chapter in my fic. I wanted to post it yesterday, but I was out all day and came back home at 4 am, so I wasn't really enclined to post in the middle of the night XD_

_But I wrote the epilogue yesterday on my phone, so it's almost ready, just have to be sure I said everything I wanted to in it and that it makes sense. It won't take a week this time ! And after that, this story will be over and I will focus on my other fics, that I really need to start posting._

_About how I ended this chapter... I have no idea how you will feel about it. I couldn't find a way to put my thoughts in order and come up with something coherent, and even though I slightly disagree with this sentence in the show because of what they did in 4B (OQ, I think you understand what I mean...), I thought it fitted my story and despite everything, it's a nice feeling that Regina really deserves to feel. You totally have a right to disagree and tell me why, I just wanted to explain why I chose it. I like to use pieces of the scripts in my fics and it's not always obvious, but this one is unmistakable, so... XD_

_Thanks to those who take the time to review and who are still here after everything I put you through, and for the follows even if we are one epilogue away from the end !_

_EvilRegalPanda : Thanks ! A lot of feelings in this chapter, I almost drowned in it XD About the show, I read a theory yesterday that with Emma being dark, they might need a new savior, and that maybe, Regina... It would make sense, explain all the clues we've had about her having light magic. But with A&amp;E and their persistance to mess things up with Regina all the time, I'm not really confident that they will finally see her potential. We'll see ! *fingers crossed*_

_Clau23 : Is she happy enough for you here ? I didn't plan to have almost everything put in order in this chapter, but it just came this way, couldn't do anything about it (and believe me, I tried XD). Thanks for reviewing ! Next and last update soon, for real, it's already written this time._

_BMontgomery : Thank you ! You had a lot to read here, this chapter is really long. But there's just the epilogue coming, and after that, this story will be over for good._

_See you for the epilogue !_


	18. Epilogue

« Regina, are you ready ? »

She's finishing to pack her bag when Robin's voice is heard in the house.

« In a minute. » she answers and she sighs in relief as she finally manages to lock her suitcase. She starts to climb down the stairs and Robin is here, takes it from her, tells her to go kiss the boy, he's bringing it in the car.

She still has some trouble realizing that that's it, they're doing it ! They're finally going on this trip they've been talking about for the last two years. Two weeks, out of town, just her and Robin. If someone had told her 4 years ago that one day, she'll be on her way to Tuscany, Italy, with the man she loves, leaving their kids to Snow, Emma, and the Merry men's care, she would have laughed at him and called him a fool.  
But after everything that happened since Emma's arrival in town, after all the fights and treats and challenges and Zelena's traumatic experience, after discovering about her light magic and learning to use and control it, combine it with Emma's, she grew up, they grew up, all of them, together. Snow, David, Henry, Emma, herself. They learned how to work as a team to protect the town from the regular threats. They even developed kind feelings for each other, became a family, mostly for Henry's sake, but also for themselves.

Her relationship with her son has evolved to another level entirely after what happened with her sister. They are closer than they've ever been, and despite the regular teenage crisis, they can barely stay two days without seeing each other.

She found a custody agreement with Emma, and the boy is spending every other week at her place, but whoever he's staying with, he manages to find time to see both his mothers almost every day.

He's grown very fond of Roland and Robin, the three of them spending a lot of time together. Robin is teaching archery to the boys, and though Regina was reluctant at first, she must admit Henry is a good student, and he likes it, a lot. It brings up the hero side in him, and she's glad to see him develop this part of his personality, but already dreads the moment he will want to use his small knowledge of archery and sword fight to come and help them on the field against the next villain.

Robin is very patient with him, very kind, answers all the questions and tells again and again all the tales the curious boy still ask about the famous Robin Hood, and is a male figure in her son's life, helping him whenever she's not qualified.

And she loves the man even more in those moments. Their relationship has its flaws, but they learned to deal with it, together, as a team, as parents, then a couple. They had to go through her nightmares which, despite her frustrations and all her efforts, lasted for more than six months after her sister's death, even though they were less frequent. But it helped them grow closer, and more intimate.  
They learned to know each other, to trust each other, to live together and she can say now without a doubt that she has never loved someone the way she loves him. He's her partner, her equal, her best friend, her lover and if there is a God or even several, they have her all gratitude for giving her the opportunity to find that man who understands her better than no other.

Actually, she's grateful for Henry, and Robin, and Roland. The little boy, who is not so little anymore -almost 7-, but who still asks for her to buy him ice creams and push him on the swing and read him bedtime stories and cuddle in her arms when he's tired or sick or sad. He's not her child, not by blood, but in her heart she loves him as deeply as if he was hers. She's only been raising him for two years, but if she was forced to make the same choice today as she had to when Zelena kidnapped her boys, she wouldn't be able to decide anymore.

Speaking of them...

She meets their very serious faces as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, and Roland jumps in her arms despise his growing height, hugs her tightly, refusing to let her go when she tries to recede from his hold.

« I don't want you to leave. » he whines and she runs a hand through his hair, kisses his cheek and murmurs against his ear « We talked about it, Roland. It's only for a couple of weeks. We'll be back soon. »

« But I'll miss you ! »

« I will miss you too. But you will be with Henry and the Merry Men and Emma and Mary-Margaret and David. You're going to have a lot of fun. You won't even have time to think about us. And I promise an amazing present will be waiting for you in my bags when I come back. »

He finally pulls back slightly, just enough so his cute pouting face is looking at her, and she smiles, kisses his forehead and nuzzles her nose against his.

« I love you, Roland. »

« I love you too, Regina. » He answers, but adds sheepishly « but I still don't want you to go. »

Regina chuckles as she's putting him down on the floor.

« You still don't have a choice, honey. »

She stops in front of her oh-so grow up son, and tilts her head softly, doesn't even have to speak, just open her arms and he takes his natural place in her hold, hugs her fiercely, buries his face in her neck and sighs deeply.

« I know, Henry, but I'll be back soon. » she breathes, rubbing his back.

« I know you will, and I'm happy you finally have some time to focus on you. But it will be hard not to see you every day. »

She recedes and cups his cheek, smiling softly « Believe me, I think it will be harder on me. You'll be too busy learning how to be a proper Merry Men. » She winks and that's the moment she feels a hand on her back, Robin's face appearing in her sight.

« The car is ready. »

She nods and lets him go to his son, hugging him almost desperately because he's never been separated more than a couple of days from Roland, and that was years ago, in the Enchanted Forest.

Regina turns her attention back to her son « I count on you to take care of Roland. »

« I will, mom. Don't stress up about us already ! »

She chuckles and shakes her head when she takes a step back. « I'm your mother, Henry. I will never stop worrying about you. I love you. »

« Me too. »

She meets Emma and Mary-Margaret's gaze, gives them a concern look and frowns slightly. « You call me if there's any problem with the boys or if you need me to help for anything. »

« Yeah, sure ! » the blonde woman answers with a roll of her eyes.

« I mean it, Emma ! »

« Regina, you're going to the other side of the world, on a romantic trip with your boyfriend. Whatever happens here, we will deal with it. Just enjoy your trip, and relax ! You need it ! »

« You earned it ! » Snow adds, nodding at her daughter's speech.

Regina raises a brow, but ends up smiling, shaking her head. « Thank you for taking care of things here. And Snow, I made you a list of everything that needs to be done on my desk in the mayor's office, in case you forget something. »

The young woman sighs « Regina... »

« And do _not_ give Leroy the approval for his new stupid idea of building a Japanese garden in Storybrooke ! » She warns and Emma almost chokes.

« A Japanese garden ? Seriously ? What was the last thing ? An exotic zoo ? »

« No, that was last year. » Mary-Margaret recalls. « I think he wanted an ice bar. He saw the picture in a magazine. »

« And before that it was a casino... » Regina sighs, shaking her head. « Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't let my evil side out again just to stop him from asking me to raise funds for all those stupid projects » she mutters.

« Well I'd like you to leave your evil side in Storybrooke while we're gone, my love. I have every intention to see nothing else but a smile on your face for the next couple of weeks. Starting now. » Robin says, winding his arms around her waist and Regina can't help but grin at him. He pecks her lips before grabbing her hand, beginning to lead her to the car.

She has barely time to bid goodbye to Little John before Robin drags her outside, and she has no other choice but to follow him. He opens the passenger's door for her -he finally got his driving license 6 months ago-, tells her that it's time to go, and she looks over at the people who followed them. She waves a hand at them, and they answer in kind, along with an « We love you » from their boys, a « We're taking care of everything » from Snow and a « Enjoy your trip ! » from Emma and John.  
She sees Robin give them a soft look, before turning to her.

« Ready, my love ? »

She smiles widely and nods. « Let's go ! »

* * *

_That's it, the final chapter ! This story is officially over. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I liked writing it, and thank you to all for the reviews and fav and follows. You know how much it means for the author, right ? So go ahead, last chapter, last chance, you can unleash everything !_

_EvilRegalPanda : Thank you for being here since the beginning and reviewing every time ! I hope the end didn't disappoint you. It wasn't at all what I had planned, but it came that way. About Regina being the savior since the S2 finale, I totally agree, BUT ! As I pointed in my fic, she indeed has been the savior for US, but not in the show. They never acknowledged her numerous victories, never thanked her, always took her for granted because they knew she would fight on Henry's side, so their side (by them I mean the supposedly 'heroes'). And I like Henry since he finally recognized Regina's role in his life, and I don't mind seeing him work with Regina to help Emma, but sorry, I don't like Hook. Just the thought of seeing him more and having to bear CS scenes make me sick. Like, no joke ! My brain doesn't process any CS moment or every scene focusing on him, I just forget or don't register them XD And I mean, the guy complained about his fate in the finale but he was the only one comfortably slumped in a chair and not doing anything to help... He's useless for me. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings if you like him, sorry ! I understand some people can like him, but I'm not one of those :-S_

_Clau23 : I'm so touched by your review ! Thank you so much, it means a lot. I'm sad it's over too, but I really have to let it go and focus on something else now. And truthfully, I make Regina suffer enough in my other fics too XD so I decided I had to stop in this one. Now, she's where I want her to be in the show : Happy, with the people she loves and who love her, she has recognition for the good she's done, an explanation about her light magic, and a well-deserved break. Thank you again for staying with me until the end and all your kind reviews !_

_For those interested, I have three fics in-progress on my computer. One of them should be posted soon. I just need to decide which one and have it beta-read now that I finally found a beta._

_Thanks to everyone again !_


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